Boney M and Milli Vanilli founder Frank Farian dies aged 82

Over the course of his career, Farian sold over 800 million records worldwide

Frank Farian in Berlin in 2008 (Florian Seefried/Getty Images)

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 “Daddy Cool” and “Rasputin”.

His family announced the he had died “peacefully” 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 “Girl You Know It’s True” and “Girl I’m Gonna Miss You”. In 1995, he started No Mercy, who had success with “Where Do You Go, When I Die” and “Please Don’t Go”.

In a statement to the Press Association, German marketing agency Allendorf Media pointed out that Farian “is considered the most internationally successful producer from Germany” with more than 800 million records sold worldwide.

Pop group Boney M: (L-R) Liz Mitchell, Mazie Williams, Bobby Farrell and Marcia Barrett (PA Archive)

Farian put Boney M together in 1975 with four singers – Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams, Liz Mitchell and the late Bobby Farrell. Mitchell, originally from Jamaica and now living in Oxfordshire, said in a statement: “Our work was truly blessed and so enjoyed by people around the world who had the privilege to hear it down the years.

“The 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.

“We 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.”

The band’s first hit single was “Daddy Cool” 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 “Rivers Of Babylon” and the singles “Ma Baker” and number one hit “Mary’s Boy Child”.

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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 ‘n’ roll band Frankie And The Shadows in 1961 and released solo song “Rocky” 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 producer’s musical work is underway.

It added: “The foundation is committed to preserving Frank Farian’s extensive life’s work and promoting new talent, just as the passionate music lover wanted it.”

Additional reporting by Press Association.