Jerry Ragovoy RIP

Jerry Ragovoy, record producer and writer of some of the greatest soul songs of the sixties, has died aged 80. After working for Chancellor records in Philadelphia with the likes of Fabian and Frankie Avalon, and writing A Wonderful Dream - a hit for the Majors - he collaborated with Bert Berns on a string of East Coast soul classics. His hits included Cry Baby, I'll Take Good Care Of You, It's Been Such a Long Way Home and My Baby for Garnet Mimms, Ain't Nobody Home, Get It While You Can and Stop for Howard Tate, One Way Love for the Drifters, Piece of My Heart by Erma Franklin, Stay With Me by Lorraine Ellison, and Time Is On My Side for Irma Thomas. Many of these were covered by artists such as Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones, creating even wider awareness of his work. He worked again with Howard Tate on the 2003 album Howard Tate Rediscovered. As a producer his work included albums by the Butterfield Blues Band, Bonnie Raitt and Dionne Warwick. Here are a couple of his best. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqdPhtie1-Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9PawalWXUk