The Carpenters legend behind band's biggest hits dies as tributes pour in
Roger Nichols, the musical genius behind some of The Carpenters' most cherished tunes, has passed away at 84.
His death occurred on May 17, but it has only now come to light, with the cause of death yet to be disclosed. Paul Williams, his songwriting comrade, broke the news on Instagram, penning a heartfelt tribute.
"The first song, Roger Nichols and I wrote was called 'It's hard to say goodbye...' Sadly, we hit the nail on the head. Roger Nichols passed away peacefully four days ago, at home with his beautiful family ...his wife Terry and the daughters he was so proud of, Claire and Caitlin at his side. They were his dream come true. His greatest joy," he shared.
Nichols and Williams crafted a legacy of hits for The Carpenters, including timeless classics like We've Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Mondays, and I Won't Last a Day Without You, also enchanting the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and The Monkees with their compositions, reports the Express.
Claire, Roger's daughter, also took to Instagram to honour her father, expressing: "My mom, Terri, and my sisters, Caroline and Caitlin, are all so proud of the man he was, and are in awe of the legacy he leaves."
Fans have been pouring out their hearts with tributes as they grapple with the news. "Rainy Days and Mondays, We've Only Just Begun, I Won't Last a Day... Your partnership left a mark, forever. Men like he an you are gifted with one of the most rare circumstences in a human life: inmortality through art. Each time one of your records spins, he'll live again somehow. All souls las forever (I've heard it somewhere...) Love and gratitude," one fan expressed.
"My sympathies! Roger, I felt never got all the recognition for his work as he should've. It feels like there's too many songwriters out there who the general public doesn't know because their songs are performed by the well known singers and bands. I have a number of records with the names 'Roger Nichols - Paul Williams' and they make me smile quite often. Thoughts and prayers to Roger and his family/friends," another shared.
"This is not the news I wanted to wake up to. I have long considered Roger a genius and the two of you to be one of the greatest songwriting teams ever...PERIOD. There's nothing like discovering yet another perfect little Roger Nichols-Paul Williams gem I hadn't heard before. Thank you both endlessly and RIP to Roger. I'm glad to be among the 'small circle of friends' who understand all that he brought to the world," lamented a third admirer.
A fourth fan lamented: "RIP. I was just singing I Won't Last a Day Without You. Such a beautiful song." Another added their condolences, saying: "So sorry to hear this. He wrote some amazing songs with and without Paul Williams."
Meanwhile, another expressed their sorrow: "Very sad to hear this news. I was truly a fan of Roger's. Love and Mercy." One of his most iconic tunes, We've Only Just Begun, started off as a simple jingle for a Crocker Bank advert. The songwriting duo Roger and Paul were tasked with penning the tune after a bank exec stumbled upon Roger's album, leading to its creation in just a few hours right before the deadline.
Richard Carpenter spotted the song's potential after hearing it on the telly. His band, The Carpenters, went on to record their own rendition, which soared to success in late 1970.
The track not only snagged a Grammy Award nomination for Song of the Year but also made it onto BMI's million performances list and bagged an accolade for a million sales in sheet music.
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