Boney M and Milli Vanilli founder Frank Farian dies aged 82
Over the course of his career, Farian sold over 800 million records worldwide
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Your support makes all the difference.German music producer Frank Farian has died aged 82.
Originally a pop singer himself, Farian became best known for putting together the disco-pop group Boney M, the Latin pop band No Mercy and the R&B group Milli Vanilli.
He was heavily involved in the music produced by each of these groups, and was the songwriter behind classic Boney M hits including āDaddy Coolā and āRasputinā.
His family announced the he had died āpeacefullyā in his apartment in Miami on Tuesday, 23 January.
Following the success of Boney M in the 1970s, Farian went on to create Milli Vanilli, whose hits included āGirl You Know Itās Trueā and āGirl Iām Gonna Miss Youā. In 1995, he started No Mercy, who had success with āWhere Do You Go, When I Dieā and āPlease Donāt Goā.
In a statement to the Press Association, German marketing agency Allendorf Media pointed out that Farian āis considered the most internationally successful producer from Germanyā with more than 800 million records sold worldwide.
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Farian put Boney M together in 1975 with four singers ā Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams, Liz Mitchell and the late Bobby Farrell. Mitchell, originally from Jamaica and now living in Oxfordshire, said in a statement: āOur work was truly blessed and so enjoyed by people around the world who had the privilege to hear it down the years.
āThe testimonies come from the hearts of those who heard it and I am so grateful to the god of music that allowed our coming together, to create and present to the world the music of Boney M.
āWe shared and united under a star which rose above and beyond what we ever dared to expect. I say well done to the work that we did. Rest in peace, Frank.ā
The bandās first hit single was āDaddy Coolā in 1976, which peaked at number six, and they went on to have 10 UK top 10 hits until their break-up.
They are believed to be the first international group to perform in the communist Soviet Union.
Boney M also released a re-recording of chart-topper āRivers Of Babylonā and the singles āMa Bakerā and number one hit āMaryās Boy Childā.
Farrell died aged 61 while on tour in Russia in 2010.
Farian was born Franz Reuther in the town of Kirn, in southwest Germany between Trier and Frankfurt, on 18 July 1941.
He began working as a chef before founding the rock ānā roll band Frankie And The Shadows in 1961 and released solo song āRockyā in 1976.
Farian also worked with US musicians, including Stevie Wonder and Meat Loaf.
A statement on behalf of the Frank Farian Foundation said that a six-part TV streaming series about the producerās musical work is underway.
It added: āThe foundation is committed to preserving Frank Farianās extensive lifeās work and promoting new talent, just as the passionate music lover wanted it.ā
Additional reporting by Press Association.
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