Singer Eric Carmen, known for songs such as “Go All the Way” with the Raspberries and “Hungry Eyes” as a solo artist, died at 74.
His wife, Amy Carmen, announced the news on his official website, Eric Carmen.com.
“It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” according to the statement. “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.”
She ended the statement with a nod to his 1977 solo album “Boats Against the Current,” as she added “‘Love Is All That Matters … Faithful and Forever,’” Rolling Stone reported.
Neither a cause or date of death have been released.
Carmen and his group the Raspberries, formed in 1970, started making hits with “Go All the Way.”
In an interview with Classic Rock 81, Carmen talked about the suggestive song lyrics.
“I always thought if it saw daylight, one of two things would happen,” said Carmen. “Either it’ll get banned because it’s dirty — then maybe people will buy the album to check it out; or if it ever gets on the radio, I think it’ll just be a hit based on the title alone.”
The band broke up in the mid-70s, but the move did not slow down Carmen.
“All By Myself” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, while its follow-up single, “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” hit No. 11 on the chart, per Rolling Stone.
Carmen hit again in the 1980s with “Hungry Eyes” that was featured in the 1987 film “Dirty Dancing.”
The song reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. His song “Make Me Lose Control” reached No. 3.
His final album, “I Was Born to Love You,” came out in 2000, according to Rolling Stone.
When the Raspberries reunited in 2004, Carmen told Rolling Stone, “Over 30-plus years, a certain myth has grown up around the band. And the last thing I ever wanted to do was put us on a stage somewhere, in less than the best circumstances, and pop the bubble, have the fans come in and say, ‘Gee, they weren’t that good.’”
Carmen was born in Cleveland , Ohio, a son of Russian-Jewish immigrants, he started taking violin lessons at 6 and went on to play piano and guitar. He started writing songs and playing in rock bands in high school, according to Variety.
