Jerry Ragovoy

Jerry Ragovoy
Birth nameJordan Ragovoy
Also known asNorman Meade
Born(1930-09-04)September 4, 1930
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedJuly 13, 2011(2011-07-13) (aged 80)
GenresPop music
Occupation(s)Songwriter, record producer, studio owner
Years active1953–2003

Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011)[1][2] was an American songwriter and record producer.

His best-known composition "Time Is on My Side" (written under the pseudonym of Norman Meade) was made famous by the Rolling Stones, although it had been recorded earlier by Kai Winding and Irma Thomas. Ragovoy also wrote "Stay With Me", which was originally recorded by Lorraine Ellison and made famous by Bette Midler in her film The Rose. It was also performed by Mary J. Blige at the 49th Grammy Awards.[3]

He also wrote "Piece of My Heart" which became a significant hit for Big Brother and the Holding Company, featuring Janis Joplin. During the 1960s, Ragovoy "helped mould the new African-American sound of soul music", according to the obituary in The Guardian.[4] During this venture, he co-wrote the Afro-pop dance song "Pata Pata" with Miriam Makeba; the song became a major hit for Makeba and was covered by numerous other artists.

He was the founder of The Hit Factory.

  1. ^ "Jerry Ragovoy - AOL Music". 10 October 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-10-10. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  2. ^ Doc Rock. "2011 July To December". The Dead Rock Stars Club. Archived from the original on 2015-08-18. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
  3. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Jerry Ragovoy - Music Biography, Credits and Discography". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
  4. ^ "Jerry Ragovoy obituary". The Guardian. 10 February 2019. Retrieved May 25, 2019. Jerry Ragovoy, who has died aged 80 from complications following a stroke, was the songwriter behind some of the best-loved ballads of the 1960s, including Time Is On My Side, a hit for the Rolling Stones, and Piece of My Heart, which became Janis Joplin's signature song. Ragovoy specialised in creating three-minute songs of intense emotion, enhanced by complex orchestral arrangements and was one of several white American songwriters and producers who, in the 1960s, helped mould the new African-American sound of soul music.

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