Roger Nichols, the Grammy-nominated songwriter behind some of The Carpenters’ most beloved hits including “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays,” died peacefully at his home on May 17 at age 84. His longtime songwriting partner Paul Williams confirmed the news in an Instagram post on May 21, though no cause of death was disclosed.
Williams announced that Nichols “passed away peacefully four days ago, at home with his beautiful family” surrounded by his wife Terri and daughters Claire, Caroline and Caitlin. The 84-year-old Williams described the circumstances as Nichols’ “dream come true” and “greatest joy,” noting that his family was by his side during his final moments.
Born on September 17, 1940, in Missoula, Montana, Nichols began his musical career with the release of his debut album “Roger Nichols and The Small Circle of Friends” in 1968 through A&M Records. Though the album failed to gain traction on the Billboard charts, A&M co-founder Herb Alpert recognized Nichols’ potential and recommended him for a staff songwriter position with the label’s publishing company.
It was at A&M Records where Nichols met Williams, forming one of the most successful songwriting partnerships of the early 1970s. Williams, who was an out-of-work actor seeking a music career, was paired with Nichols as a lyricist. The collaboration proved immediately fruitful, with Williams describing their working relationship as transformative for both their careers.
Their breakthrough came with “We’ve Only Just Begun,” which originated as a commercial jingle for Crocker-Citizens National Bank. The song was written under deadline pressure after a bank executive heard Nichols’ music and commissioned the duo to create the commercial. Richard Carpenter discovered the jingle while watching television and contacted Nichols and Williams to inquire about a full version of the song.
The Carpenters’ recording of “We’ve Only Just Begun” became a massive hit in late 1970, reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The song earned Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and Best Contemporary Song at the 1971 ceremony, ultimately losing to Paul Simon’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” The recording was later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.
The Nichols-Williams partnership continued to produce hit after hit for The Carpenters throughout the early 1970s. Their collaborations included “Rainy Days and Mondays,” which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1971, “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” and “Let Me Be the One.” Williams praised Nichols’ work ethic, noting that while he was ready for breaks after three hours of writing, Nichols would continue working for another four or five hours.
Beyond The Carpenters, Nichols and Williams wrote songs for numerous other major artists. Three Dog Night recorded their “Out in the Country,” which reached the top 15 simultaneously with “We’ve Only Just Begun” in October 1970. Barbra Streisand covered “I Won’t Last a Day Without You” on her “ButterFly” album and later recorded “I Never Had It So Good” on “Lazy Afternoon,” both of which achieved gold status.
Art Garfunkel included the Nichols-Williams composition “Traveling Boy” on his 1973 solo album “Angel Clare,” which reached the top 10 on the Billboard 200. Nichols also collaborated with other writers, including William Lane on “Times of Your Life,” which Paul Anka recorded in 1975. Like “We’ve Only Just Begun,” this song was adapted from a television commercial, originally created for Kodak, and reached number seven on the Hot 100 in February 1976.
Nichols retired from songwriting relatively early in his career, choosing to pursue what Williams described as “another dream.” Williams recounted that Nichols expressed a desire to return to Montana for fishing and to start a family by a river. Years later, Williams visited Nichols and met his wife and daughters at their riverside home, confirming that his former partner had found the life he sought.
In September 2024, Nichols experienced joy when his daughter Caitlin married, with Williams recalling how Nichols was excited about the prospect of wheeling down the aisle in his wheelchair while holding his daughter’s hand. Williams reflected on the countless weddings where couples had walked down the aisle or shared father-daughter dances to “We’ve Only Just Begun.”
Claire Schiemer, one of Nichols’ daughters, commented on Williams’ Instagram tribute, expressing appreciation for the recognition of her father’s musical gifts and the lasting legacy created through his partnership with Williams. She indicated that the family, including her mother Terri and sisters Caroline and Caitlin, remained proud of the man he was and the impact he left through his music.
Nichols was recently nominated for the Songwriters Hall of Fame for the class to be inducted on June 12, though he was not elected. The nomination ballot listed his five most famous compositions: “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” “Out in the Country,” and “Times of Your Life.”