Jerry Ragovoy

Jordan "Jerry" Ragovoy (September 4, 1930 – July 13, 2011) was an American songwriter and record producer who wrote several pop songs including the instrumental "Time Is on My Side" (under the pseudonym of Norman Meade for Kai Winding), which was recorded by the Rolling Stones with lyrics added by Jimmy Norman for an earlier version by Irma Thomas; "Stay With Me" for Lorraine Ellison (later covered by Bette Midler in the film The Rose); and "Piece of My Heart", which became a significant hit for Janis Joplin when still with Big Brother and the Holding Company.

During the 1960s, Ragovoy "helped mould the new African-American sound of soul music", according to the obituary in The Guardian. During this venture, he co-wrote the Afro-pop dance song "Pata Pata" with Miriam Makeba; the song became a major hit for Makeba and was covered by numerous other artists.

He founded the New York recording studio The Hit Factory in 1969, producing and arranging artists such as Dionne Warwick and Bonnie Raitt until he sold it to Troy Germano in 1975.