Frank Farian, creator of Boney M and Milli Vanilli, dies aged 82

German singer and producer behind hits such as Daddy Cool and Rasputin shaped the eurodisco genre and later steered Milli Vanilli to fame

Frank Farian, the German singer, songwriter and producer behind eurodisco hit-machine Boney M, pop duo Milli Vanilli and numerous other chart-topping acts has died aged 82, his agency has announced.

Born Franz Reuther in Kirn, western Germany, he started his career as a solo musician, and enjoyed a hit with a schlager version of the country song Rocky in 1976. Around the same time, he came up with the idea for Boney M, a disco group of four West Indian singers and dancers that he masterminded.