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Los Angeles Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Roger Nichols, songwriter behind the Carpenters' hits, dead at 84
Roger Nichols, the songwriter who penned 'We've Only Just Begun' and other hits for folk-rock duo the Carpenters, has died. He was 84. Nichols' death on May 17 was confirmed in a social media post from Nichols' longtime songwriting partner, Paul Williams. He did not list a cause of death. '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,' Williams wrote. 'His wife Terry and the daughters he was so proud of, Claire and Caitlin at his side. 'He was as disciplined as he was talented,' Williams continued. 'The words were born of the beauty in his completed melodies. I wrote what I heard, note for note …word for word. The lyrics waiting in the emotion already in his music. He made it easy.' Nichols, a Montana native, released his first solo LP, 'Roger Nichols & the Small Circle of Friends,' on A&M Records in 1968. It's now regarded as a cult classic in the California pop-rock canon, with guest credits from Randy Newman, Van Dyke Parks and Lenny Waronker. However, he earned his big break as a songwriter after he penned an unexpectedly poignant jingle for a Crocker-Citizens National Bank commercial. Richard Carpenter, who formed the popular duo with his sister Karen, heard the tune on television and asked if Nichols and Williams had a full version of the song. They quickly extended it into a tune that became the duo's 1970 smash 'We've Only Just Begun.' The single was nominated for song of the year at the following Grammys. With Williams (and other lyricists), Nichols co-wrote many of the Carpenters' most beloved songs, including 'Rainy Days and Mondays,' 'I Won't Last a Day Without You,' 'Let Me Be the One' and 'I Kept on Loving You.' Beyond his hits for the Carpenters, Nichols co-wrote songs that were recorded by the Monkees, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark and Art Garfunkel, among many others. In a comment on Williams' post, Nichols' daughter Claire wrote, '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.'
News18
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
The Carpenters Songwriter Roger Nichols Passes Away At 84; Paul Williams Pays Tribute
Last Updated: Roger Nichols, composer of 'We've Only Just Begun,' passed away at 84. He co-wrote hits for the Carpenters with Paul Williams. 'We've Only Just Begun' composer Roger Nichols has died aged 84. The multi-instrumentalist behind the Carpenters' biggest hits passed away 'peacefully" on May 17. No cause of death is known. His songwriting partner, Paul Williams confirmed on Instagram, '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." Together, the pair penned the music and lyrics to the Carpenters' hits, also including 'Rainy Days and Mondays' and 'I Won't Last a Day Without You'. Their songs were also performed by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Petula Clark, and The Monkees. In a touching tribute, Roger's daughter, Claire, wrote on Instagram, '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." 'We've Only Just Begun' was originally a jingle for a Crocker National Bank commercial. Richard Carpenter, 78, approached songwriter Paul and asked if he had a complete version of the track after seeing the advert on TV. He didn't, but soon extended it, and the Carpenters ended up recording and releasing it in 1970. It's one of their biggest hits and was also nominated for the Grammy Awards for Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song. Brother-sister duo the Carpenters were fronted by the late Karen Carpenter, who tragically died in February 1983, aged just 32. Location : California, USA First Published:
Daily Mirror
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
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 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.
Metro
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
The Carpenters legend Roger Nichols dies aged 84
Roger Nichols, the composer behind some of The Carpenters' greatest hits, has died at the age of 84. The songwriter was a composer and songwriter who was behind The Carpenters' biggest hit We've Only Just Begun, and was a frequent collaborator. It was announced that he died on May 17, but the news was only just made public. Paul Williams, his songwriting partner of many years, confirmed the news in a post. '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.' This is a breaking news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates. If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. For more stories like this, check our entertainment page. Follow Entertainment on Twitter and Facebook for the latest celeb and entertainment updates. You can now also get articles sent straight to your device. Sign up for our daily push alerts here. MORE: TV and soap legend Timothy West's cause of death revealed MORE: Beloved Cheers and Space Jam actor Michael Alaimo dies aged 86 MORE: Shakira fans concerned after 'highly infectious disease spreads at her concert'
