Roger Nichols, the masterful composer behind some of The Carpenters’ most beloved songs, passed away peacefully at age 84 on May 17, 2025, at his home with family by his side. Though news of his death only emerged this week, the Montana-born songwriter’s legacy spans decades of American popular music through timeless hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and “I Won’t Last a Day Without You.”
Paul Williams, Nichols’ longtime songwriting partner and lyricist, confirmed the news through an Instagram post on Thursday, May 21, 2025. Williams shared that Nichols died at home surrounded by his wife Terry and daughters Claire and Caitlin. The cause of death remains undisclosed.
Born Roger Stewart Nichols on September 17, 1940, in Missoula, Montana, he moved to Santa Monica, California, as an infant. Music filled his childhood home through his father, a photographer who played saxophone in jazz bands, and his mother, a classical pianist and music major. Nichols initially studied violin throughout his school years before switching to basketball at UCLA, where he earned a scholarship. Coach John Wooden eventually forced him to choose between athletics and music, leading Nichols to pursue his true passion.
The songwriter’s most famous composition began as a humble bank commercial jingle in the late 1960s. After a Crocker Bank executive heard Nichols’ debut album “Roger Nichols and the Small Circle of Friends,” released on A&M Records in 1968, the bank commissioned him and Williams to create advertising music. Working under tight deadline pressure, they crafted what would become “We’ve Only Just Begun” in mere hours on the final day before submission.
Richard Carpenter spotted the commercial’s potential when he heard Williams singing the jingle on television. Carpenter contacted Williams to inquire about expanding the thirty-second spot into a full song. Williams later admitted in a documentary that while they had additional verses and a bridge written, he would have fabricated them if necessary to secure a Carpenters recording. The duo’s version became a massive hit in late 1970, earning Grammy nominations for Song of the Year and achieving over four million radio plays.
The success established Nichols and Williams as one of popular music’s most productive partnerships. Their collaboration produced multiple gold records within a single year, including “Rainy Days and Mondays” for The Carpenters and “Out in the Country” for Three Dog Night, which later reached the Top Ten. Art Garfunkel recorded their “Travelin’ Boy,” while Barbra Streisand covered “I Never Had It So Good.” The duo also composed “Times of Your Life,” which Paul Anka took to number one on the Adult Contemporary chart in January 1976.
Beyond The Carpenters, Nichols’ compositions found success with major recording artists including Diana Ross, Petula Clark, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, and The Monkees. His musical versatility as a multi-instrumentalist, proficient on violin, guitar, bass, and piano, contributed to his compositional depth. The songwriter also collaborated with other lyricists, including Tony Asher, Bill Lane, and Gerry Goffin throughout his career.
Williams described their creative process in his tribute, explaining how Nichols’ work ethic far exceeded his own. While Williams admitted having “the attention span of a sea otter” and being ready for breaks after three hours, Nichols would continue working for four or five additional hours. Williams emphasized that his lyrics emerged from the emotion already embedded in Nichols’ melodies, making the collaborative process feel effortless.
The partnership dissolved in the mid-1970s when their career goals diverged. Williams wanted to focus on film scoring, while Nichols expressed a desire to return to Montana, telling his partner he wanted to “go fishing” and “go back to Montana.” Nichols eventually made good on this wish, purchasing a home by a river where he later raised his family with wife Terry.
Claire Nichols honored her father on Instagram, writing that she, her mother Terry, and sisters Caroline and Caitlin remain “proud of the man he was, and are in awe of the legacy he leaves.” Williams recalled visiting Nichols at his Montana home in recent years, observing that his friend had found his dream of family life by the river.
Despite retiring from active songwriting, Nichols continued recording. He released a Japan-only album in 1995 titled “Roger Nichols and a Circle of Friends – Be Gentle With My Heart,” featuring vocalist Sheila O’Connell-Roussell. The Small Circle of Friends reunited in 2007 for “Full Circle,” revisiting many of Nichols’ best-known compositions, followed by “My Heart is Home” in 2012. These later albums demonstrated that the original group’s vocal harmonies remained intact decades after their initial collaboration.
Music fans worldwide have shared tributes celebrating Nichols’ impact on their lives. Social media responses highlighted how his songs provided soundtracks for countless weddings and special moments. One admirer wrote about the “immortality through art” that Nichols achieved, noting that each time his records play, “he’ll live again somehow.” Another fan emphasized his belief that Nichols deserved greater recognition, pointing out how many gifted songwriters remain unknown to the general public while their compositions become classics through famous performers.
Williams shared a particularly moving memory from September 2024, when Nichols expressed excitement about his daughter Caitlin’s wedding. Despite health challenges requiring a wheelchair, Nichols looked forward to “wheeling down the aisle” while holding his daughter’s hand. Williams reflected on the thousands of fathers and daughters who have walked down aisles or shared dances to Nichols’ music, particularly “We’ve Only Just Begun.”
“We’ve Only Just Begun” alone has generated over four million radio performances and earned recognition as one of the top 50 songs of the 20th century. Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number 414 on their list of “The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” The song’s enduring popularity as a wedding favorite demonstrates how Nichols’ melodies continue resonating with new generations.
The composer’s final years in Montana, surrounded by family near the river he loved, fulfilled the dream he expressed to Williams decades earlier. His legacy lives on not only through recordings but through the countless personal moments his music has soundtracked for families across generations. Roger Nichols’ melodies will continue playing long after the man who created them has returned to the Montana landscape that called him home.
