Eric Carmen, who rose to fame as the lead singer of Raspberries and then found greater commercial success as a solo star, has died of unspecified causes at the age of 74.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” his wife Amy posted on Carmen’s official website. “Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy.”
Born in Cleveland, Carmen co-formed the power pop pioneers Raspberries in 1970. The group released four critically acclaimed albums before breaking up in 1975, and reached the Top 5 with their 1972 hit “Go All the Way.”
Hear the Raspberries Perform ‘Go All The Way’
Following the Raspberries’ breakup, Carmen’s 1975 self-titled solo debut spawned the Top 40 hits “All By Myself,” “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again” and “Sunrise.” However his next three albums failed to reach such lofty heights, and he withdrew from the industry for the first half of the ’80s.
Carmen returned in 1985 with the Top 40 hit “I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips,” and reached even greater heights with “Hungry Eyes,” his contribution to 1987’s Dirty Dancing soundtrack. After following up with another Top 5 hit, “Make Me Lose Control,” the following year Carmen retreated from the public eye again, briefly re-emerging in 2000 as a member of Ringo Starr’s touring All-Starr Band.
Hear Eric Carmen Perform ‘All By Myself’
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Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp
