shared a heartbreaking post on Day after the death of his dear friend, Richard Perry. The American music producer, who also worked with and Barbra Streisand, died on Christmas Eve following a cardiac arrest.

Announcing the news to his 1.5 million Instagram followers, Rod wrote: "Dearest Richard, farewell my dear buddy. They say in life a man is lucky if he can count his true friends on one hand, and you were certainly one of them. Now I've lost you, and I'm devastated.

"We played and worked so closely together for so many years, creating some of the most memorable music together.

"You were there when Penny and I first started dating, encouraging our relationship. We are both in tears as I post this farewell."

The 79-year-old was inundated with messages of condolence from his followers. One fan wrote: "My sympathies, Rod, today is an even harder day to lose someone dear."

Another penned: "So terribly sorry. He was a special one indeed."

And a third echoed: "My condolences to you and your family Rod...so sorry to hear you have lost a soulmate."

Richard's friend Daphna Kastner announced his death on Tuesday. She said he died in a Los Angeles hospital and added, "He was generous, fun, sweet, and made the world a better place. The world is a little less sweeter without him here. But it's a little bit sweeter in heaven."

Richard's producing credits include Rod Stewart's The Great American Songbook, Barbra Streisand's Stoney End, Carly Simon's You're So Vain and Ringo Starr's 1973 album, Ringo.

Richard had high-profile relationships with celebrities including Jane Fonda and Elizabeth Taylor.

He began dating Jane Fonda in 2009 before splitting amicably in 2017. At the time, he said in a statement: "We continue to maintain a close friendship and care deeply about each other.

"Jane has rededicated herself to activism and I am finishing my memoirs. So all is well with the Fonda-Perry relationship. We're just starting a new chapter."

Richard was briefly married to Die Hard actress Rebecca Broussard from 1987 to 1988. The two didn't have any children together.