Peter Asher is a British guitarist, singer, manager and record producer from Harlesden, London. He is best known first as one half of Peter and Gordon, the vocal duo he forms in 1962 with Gordon Waller after they meet at Westminster School, and later as a producer and artist manager. He also works as a child actor before his recording career develops.

Early life and Peter and Gordon

Asher is born in 1944 at Central Middlesex Hospital and grows up in England. As a schoolboy at Westminster School, he meets Gordon Waller, and the pair begin singing together in coffee bars before becoming Peter and Gordon. Their biggest hit is the Paul McCartney song “A World Without Love” in 1964. Asher later studies philosophy at King’s College London.

Before his music career takes off, he appears as a child actor in the film The Planter’s Wife, the stage play Isn’t Life Wonderful and the ITV series The Adventures of Robin Hood. He is the son of Dr Richard and Margaret Asher, and the older brother of actress and businesswoman Jane Asher and radio actress Clare Asher.

Work at Apple Records and management

After Peter and Gordon disband in 1968, Asher takes charge of the A&R department at Apple Records, the Beatles’ label. There he signs James Taylor and agrees to produce Taylor’s debut solo album. Although the album is not a commercial success, Asher becomes Taylor’s manager and later produces many of his recordings from 1970 to 1985, including Sweet Baby James, Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, JT and Flag.

He also works with the country rock band Country in the early 1970s. Through the 1970s and beyond, he manages or produces a range of artists and is closely associated with the Californian rock sound. His production credits include albums by Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Andrew Gold and Bonnie Raitt. For Ronstadt, his work includes Heart Like a Wheel, Simple Dreams, Living in the USA, What’s New, Canciones De Mi Padre and Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind.

Later career

Asher and Waller reform for the annual New York Beatlefest in 1976 and play other dates, and Peter and Gordon also return for occasional concerts in 2005 and 2006. In the 1980s, Asher works on hit albums by artists including Cher and 10,000 Maniacs.

He holds senior roles in the music industry, becoming Senior Vice President at Sony Music Entertainment in 1995. He later returns to artist management as co-President of Sanctuary Artist Management and then joins Strategic Artist Management with Simon Renshaw. One of his clients is Pamela Anderson.

Asher also reunites with James Taylor as producer of Live at the Troubadour, recorded with Carole King and Taylor’s original band. In 2011, he serves as executive producer of Listen to Me: Buddy Holly and works as music supervisor, producer and co-host of the related PBS special.

Other activities and family

Asher has a short-lived relationship with the singer Millie Small. His daughter, Victoria Asher, is the keytarist in Cobra Starship.

Awards

He wins the Grammy Award for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 1977 for Simple Dreams and J T, and again in 1989 for Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind. He also wins Best Spoken Comedy Album in 2002 for Live 2002 by Robin Williams.