(CelebrityAccess) — Ruben “Benny” Mardones, a singer who scored a hit in 1980 with “Into the Night”, died on June 29th at the age of 73.
According to Billboard, Mardones died from complications of Parksinson’s disease.
Born in Cleveland, Mardones and his family relocated to the East Coast where he graduated from Howard High School in Ellicott City, Maryland in 1964.
Following graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy and served in Vietnam before relocating to New York City to pursue a career as a singer and songwriter.
He and a writing partner Alan Miles wrote several songs together and demoed music but legendary label exec Tommy Mottola suggested that Mardones record his own songs.
In 1980, Mardones recorded what would be his signature hit “Into the Night.” The song, a love ballad to a sixteen year old girl from an older man, entered the Billboard Hot 100 twice – once when it was first released, peaking at 11 and then again in 1989 when Phoenix radio station KZZP revived interest in the song with a “Where Are They Now?” segment.
After the segment aired, Pirate Radio in Los Angeles added “Into the Night” to its playlist, helping to boost it back onto the charts.
However, the hit had a dark side for Mardones and presaged a period of substance abuse that led to him being dropped from his label Polydor.
In 2000, Mardones was diagnosed with Parksinson’s Disease but he continued to tour and record until the mid 2010s when he was finally sidelined by the disease.
Here’s Mardones’ hit ‘Into The Night’ – it has not aged well
