Eric Carmen, the frontman of power-pop band the Raspberries and solo artist who had hits in the '70s and '80s with songs like "Hungry Eyes" and "All by Myself," has died. He was 74.
The musician's wife, Amy Carmen, announced the news on his official website yesterday (March 11), sharing that her husband had passed away in his sleep over the weekend. No cause of death has been given.
"It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy," she wrote. "Please respect the family’s privacy as we mourn our enormous loss."
Born in Cleveland, OH, Carmen formed the British Invasion-inspired Raspberries in 1970. They released their self-titled debut album in 1972, which produced their biggest hit, "Go All the Way," which would later appear on the first Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack.
After their third album, Starting Over, was released in 1975, Carmen went solo, and immediately found huge success with the iconic power ballad "All by Myself," which was based on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. (Rachmaninoff was also the source material for another early hit of Carmen's, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again.") Céline Dion's 1996 cover of the track also became a massive hit.
Carmen is perhaps best known for "Hungry Eyes," his very famous 1987 contribution to the Dirty Dancing soundtrack.