Producer Peter Dawkins Dies

Record producer Peter Dawkins died July 3 after a fall at his home outside Sydney, Australia. He was 68.

Photo: AP Photo / Lai Seng Sin
Calvary Convention Center, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

After producing seven chart-toppers in his native New Zealand, Dawkins moved to Australia in 1972. He worked as head of A&R at three labels, EMI, CBS and Festival.

He produced 20 Australian chart singles and more than 50 gold and platinum albums.

His biggest success story was Air Supply, whom he discovered through a random cassette demo.

Dawkins was based in Los Angeles for a time, as A&R director for CBS’s Portrait imprint. In his later years he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.