Sir Rod Stewart, 79, admits ‘I’m devastated’ as he pays heartbreaking tribute after death of ‘true friend’

On December 28, 2024By Littum

Sir Rod Stewart, 79, has posted a touching tribute to his “true friend” Richard Perry after the producer died on Christmas Eve.

Perry died aged 82 during a hospital stay amid a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.

The legendary music producer worked on numerous legendary acts, including producing The Great American Songbook album series with Stewart.

Stunned by the loss, Stewart posted a touching farewell to Perry on Instagram.

“Dearest Richard, farewell, my dear fellow. They say in life that a man is lucky if he can count his true friends on one hand, and you were certainly one of them,” he began.

The 79-year-old revealed: “Now I’ve lost you and I’m devastated.”

Stewart and Perry were close friends

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“We played and worked so closely together for so many years and created some of the most memorable music together“the Maggie May hitmplow reflected.

Stewart also gave an insight into his personal relationship with Perry, revealing how important the producer was to him and his wife Penny Lancaster.

The 79-year-old fondly recalled: “You were there when Penny and I first started dating, encouraging our relationship.”

“We are both in tears as I bid this farewell,” he concluded bittersweetly.

Perry died of a heart attack after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease

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Perry, who received a Grammy Trustee Award in 2015, died on December 24 as confirmed by his friend Daphna Kastner Keitel.

“He maximized his time here,” Kastner said. “He was generous, funny, sweet and made the world a better place. The world is a little less sweet without him here. But it’s a little bit sweeter in heaven.”

Stewart was far from the only star to pay tribute to Perry, along with singer and actress Barbra Streisand also shares her heartache.

“Richard had an uncanny knack for picking hits, and most importantly for me, a wonderful sense of humor,” she wrote. “We had so much fun in the studio … and we really became good friends for life.”

Streisand and Perry collaborated on two pivotal albums in 1971: Stoney End and Barbra Joan Streisand.

Film music composer James Newton Howard commented on the post: “I played on a lot of records that Richard produced. He knew a hit song when he heard it. I loved working with him.”

Perry also produced The Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr’s solo album, Ringo, which featured contributions from the other members of the iconic band.

Starr sold over a million copies and reached number two on the charts.