Frank Farian, creator of Boney M and Milli Vanilli, dies aged 82 | Pop and rock
Frank Farian, the German singer, songwriter and producer behind eurodisco hit-machine Boney M, pop duo Milli Vanilli and numerous other chart-topping acts has died aged 82, his agency has announced.
Born Franz Reuther in Kirn, western Germany, he started his career as a solo musician, and enjoyed a hit with a schlager version of the country song Rocky in 1976. Around the same time, he came up with the idea for Boney M, a disco group of four West Indian singers and dancers that he masterminded.
The band charted worldwide with such songs as Daddy Cool (1976), Ma Baker (1977), Rasputin (1978) and Rivers of Babylon (1978) – Farian sang the deep-voiced male vocal parts in the studio, with Bobby Farrell the male face of the group who performed the songs live.
Farian later also produced the pop duo Milli Vanilli, who became embroiled in a major scandal when it emerged that they had merely lip-synced their hits’ vocals.
With an estimated 800m records sold worldwide, Farian was one of the most successful pop producers of the 20th century.
More to follow.
Frank Farian, the German singer, songwriter and producer behind eurodisco hit-machine Boney M, pop duo Milli Vanilli and numerous other chart-topping acts has died aged 82, his agency has announced.
Born Franz Reuther in Kirn, western Germany, he started his career as a solo musician, and enjoyed a hit with a schlager version of the country song Rocky in 1976. Around the same time, he came up with the idea for Boney M, a disco group of four West Indian singers and dancers that he masterminded.
The band charted worldwide with such songs as Daddy Cool (1976), Ma Baker (1977), Rasputin (1978) and Rivers of Babylon (1978) – Farian sang the deep-voiced male vocal parts in the studio, with Bobby Farrell the male face of the group who performed the songs live.
Farian later also produced the pop duo Milli Vanilli, who became embroiled in a major scandal when it emerged that they had merely lip-synced their hits’ vocals.
With an estimated 800m records sold worldwide, Farian was one of the most successful pop producers of the 20th century.
More to follow.
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