1970s and 1980s
Perry went freelance and was established as a producer by 1970. His first independent production was Barbra Streisand's million-selling album Stoney End. His credits during the subsequent decade included albums by Harry Nilsson (Nilsson Schmilsson, Son of Schmilsson), Carly Simon (No Secrets, Hotcakes, Playing Possum), Art Garfunkel (Breakaway), Diana Ross (Baby It's Me), Martha Reeves (Martha Reeves), the Manhattan Transfer (Coming Out), Leo Sayer (Leo Sayer), and Andy Williams (Solitaire).
He was a perfectionist in the studio and "worked his artists hard". He had one of his biggest hits with his production on Carly Simon's song "You're So Vain". Among his other projects was the 1973 album Ringo by former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. The album featured contributions from the other three ex-Beatles and reached No. 2 on the Pop Albums chart. Another high point was his work with Fanny. Perry produced the group's first three albums, Fanny (1970), Charity Ball, which featured the top 40 title track (1971), and Fanny Hill (1972).
AllMusic's Bruce Eder stated that in the 1970s Perry was "the most renowned producer in the field of popular music", and said that "his mere involvement with a recording project was enough to engender a mention in the music trade papers and even the popular music press, and the array of Gold- and Platinum-selling albums with which he was associated made his name synonymous with success." As early as 1973, Village Voice said of Perry that "the rungs on the ladder of success seem so much closer together when Perry is your guide."
In 1978, Perry played the part of a record producer in the film American Hot Wax, which was based on the life of disc jockey Alan Freed, and launched his own label, Planet Records, which he ran for six years until it was purchased by RCA Records in 1983. He had "huge success" with the Pointer Sisters and produced a string of dance hits for them including "Fire", "I'm So Excited" and "Neutron Dance".
By then Perry had produced throughout his career at least fifteen Gold records, four of which had gone Platinum, and a dozen Gold singles. Among the label's roster during his tenure were acts such as Billy Thermal, Bates Motel, the Plimsouls, the Cretones, Bill Medley, Sue Saad and the Next, and the Pointer Sisters, whose charting album Energy was the label's debut.
After leaving Planet Records Perry continued to produce some of its acts, including the Pointer Sisters, and worked with artists such as Streisand, Donna Summer, Julio Iglesias, Neil Diamond, and Randy Travis. Streisand found working with Perry "fun and musically liberating" and said he "had a knack for matching the right song to the right artist". After his success in reviving Streisand's singing career, he was in demand. His next major success was Nilsson's 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson, recorded in London, which included the no.1 single "Without You". Nilsson had wanted a simple piano backing for the song, but Perry convinced him that a "theatrical monster ballad, complete with orchestra", would work better.
While pursuing these projects, Perry also spent the later part of the 1980s working on a passion project, 1989's Rock, Rhythm & Blues, which featured contemporary artists such as Elton John, Rick James and Chaka Khan performing classic rock songs by musicians of the 1950s and early 1960s.
