Frontman of Raspberries and Solo Hitmaker Dies Peacefully in His Sleep Over the Weekend

Eric Carmen, renowned for hits like "Hungry Eyes" and "All By Myself," has passed away at 74, as confirmed by his wife Amy on his official website.

In her announcement, Amy expressed profound sadness: "It is with tremendous sorrow that we announce the passing of Eric Carmen. Our beloved Eric passed away peacefully in his sleep over the weekend. He found great joy in knowing that his music touched countless lives over the decades, leaving behind a lasting legacy. We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve this immense loss."

Amy concluded with a poignant quote from Eric's song "Love Is All That Matters": "Love Is All That Matters...Faithful and Forever."

Ohio native Carmen initially found success as the lead singer of the power-pop band Raspberries, known for hits like "Go All the Way," "Let's Pretend," "I Wanna Be With You," and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)."

Transitioning to a solo career in late 1975, Carmen achieved immediate success with his first two solo singles released in 1976: "All By Myself" and "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again."

During this period, Carmen's songwriting prowess attracted attention from other artists, such as Shaun Cassidy, who reached the top 10 with Carmen's compositions "Hey Deanie" and "That's Rock and Roll." Despite his success, Carmen took a hiatus from the music industry in 1980, pausing his chart-topping solo career.

Following his co-writing credit on the 1984 "Footloose" soundtrack hit "Almost Paradise," performed by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson, Carmen made a comeback in 1985 with the successful single "I Wanna Hear It From Your Lips." However, it was his involvement in the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing" that truly propelled him back into the spotlight: His contribution to the soundtrack, "Hungry Eyes," became a top 10 hit, followed by another top five hit in 1988 with "Make Me Lose Control."

In 2000, Carmen joined Ringo Starr's All Starr Band for a tour, further cementing his place in music history. Then, in 2013, he released his first new song in 15 years titled "Brand New Year," which was included in a 2014 best-of compilation, marking a return to the music scene after a significant hiatus.