(CelebrityAccess) — Eric Carmen, the power-pop balladeer who was a founding member and lead vocalist of the the Cleveland rock band The Raspberries before launching a successful solo career has died. He was 74.
His death was announced by his family, who said that he died over the weekend. The statement did not provide any additional information about the cause of death.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Carmen joined the regionally successful band The Choir, while still a student at John Carroll University. Following The Choir’s dissolution in the early 1970s, Carmen joined fellow bandmembers Wally Bryson, Jim Bonfanti, and Dave Smalley to form The Raspberries.
While short-lived, lasting for just over five years, the Raspberries recorded several hits, including “Go All the Way” which broke into the top 10 in 1972.
After the Raspberries parted ways in 1975 amid creative differences, Carmen launched a solo career as a singer-songwriter, generating hits such as “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again” and “All By Myself” which became fixtures of soft rock radio of the era.
While his own star faded in the 1980s and 1990s, Carmen continued to write and place music with other artists while his hit “All By Myself” became a staple for other singers, such as Celine Dion.
