Eric Carmen, the frontman of the powerpop band Raspberries and singer of solo hits including All By Myself, Never Gonna Fall in Love Again and Hungry Eyes, has died aged 74.
Amy, the wife of Carmen, announced his passing on his official website. No reason for his death was disclosed.
We are deeply sorrowful to announce that Eric Carmen has passed away. His loved ones say that he peacefully passed away in his sleep this past weekend. It gave him immense happiness to know that his music has touched and will continue to touch many for years to come. During this time of mourning, we kindly ask for privacy for the family.
The American vocalist was responsible for numerous successful songs during the 1970s and 1980s, starting with his role as the lead singer of Raspberries. He wrote or co-wrote a majority of their tracks, including their most well-known hit, “Go All the Way.” This song, which has been described as a combination of the guitar riffs from The Who and the vocal style of The Beatles, featured suggestive lyrics that caused controversy and a ban from some radio stations in the US and UK. However, the song experienced a surge in popularity in 2014 when it was featured on the soundtrack for the film “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
After disbanding in 1975, The Raspberries, Carmen began pursuing a solo career that focused less on rock and more on powerful ballads. In 1976, he had two major hits: “All by Myself,” which was inspired by Sergei Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” which was based on a section of Rachmaninov’s Symphony No. 2.
Many of his songs became popular when sung by different artists – Celine Dion sang All By Myself in 1996, Olivia Newton-John covered his 1977 song She Did It, and Shaun Cassidy’s version of Carmen’s song That’s Rock and Roll also became a hit.
In 1987, Carmen made a successful comeback with his song “Hungry Eyes” on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, reaching No 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next year, his piano-driven pop track “Make Me Lose Control” also rose to No 3 on the charts.
Carmen’s singles did not regain popularity after the 1880s. However, he did continue to tour with Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band in 2000 and reunited with Raspberries for live performances in 2004.
His wife and two children, Clayton and Kathryn, are left behind to carry on his legacy.
Source: theguardian.com
