Eric Carmen

Eric Howard Carmen, the American guitarist and keyboardist, was born on August 11, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio. He gained initial recognition as the lead vocalist of the Raspberries.

The Choir, a band in which some future Raspberries members were involved, scored a minor national hit in 1967 with the single 'It's Cold Outside.'

Cyrus Erie, a band with Eric Carmen, released a single called 'Get the Message' on Epic in 1968. The band continued for a couple more years before Carmen and the band's lead guitarist, Wally Bryson, formed the Raspberries in 1970.

The Raspberries were formed in 1970 and became known as power pop heroes, with their frontman gaining recognition for his classic pop styles.

The song 'Go All the Way' by Eric Carmen's group reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1972. The controversial explicit lyrics of the song were unusual for Top 40 radio at that time.

Within a year of the band's final album, Eric Carmen scored a No. 2 single with the song "All by Myself", which subverted Nilsson's cover of Badfinger's "Without You".

The frontman of the Raspberries embarked on a solo career in 1976, showcasing a variety of classic pop styles and establishing himself as a solo star.

The song "Love Is All That Matters" was featured in Eric Carmen's 1977 solo album "Boats Against the Current." The quote from his wife's announcement is a reference to this song, which reflects Carmen's enduring legacy as a balladeer and songwriter.

In 1984, Carmen and Dean Pitchford co-wrote 'Almost Paradise', the love theme from the film Footloose. The song, performed by Ann Wilson and Mike Reno, peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1985, Eric Carmen resurfaced on Geffen Records with a second self-titled album, which included the comeback hit 'I Wanna Hear It from Your Lips' that achieved success on the Adult Contemporary and Pop charts.

In 1987, Eric Carmen's contribution to the hit movie Dirty Dancing, 'Hungry Eyes', reached number 2 on the Adult Contemporary Chart and returned him to the Pop Top 10.

During 1988, Eric Carmen's nostalgic track 'Make Me Lose Control' returned him to the number one position on the Adult Contemporary chart and reached number 3 on Billboard's Hot 100.

The song 'All by Myself' by Eric Carmen was featured in a pivotal scene in the 1995 Nicole Kidman-starring film 'To Die For'.

In 1998, Eric Carmen released the album 'I Was Born to Love You,' reuniting with songwriting collaborators like Dean Pitchford and Diane Warren.

In 2000, Eric Carmen joined Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band on tour, where he performed his biggest solo and Raspberries hits as well as sat in with the performer whose band had provided a template for much of his musical life.

In 2004, Eric Carmen, along with original Raspberries members, re-formed the band for a series of sold-out live performances in cities across the United States. They recorded a live album of their hits at The House of Blues on Sunset Strip, in Hollywood.

In 2005, a concert at L.A.’s House of Blues was released as the live album 'Live on Sunset Strip,' featuring a quote from Bruce Springsteen in the liner notes.

Pop singer Eric Carmen was arrested for driving under the influence in Gates Mills, Ohio. He is known for writing Louise Mandrell's 1985 country hit "Maybe My Baby".

On December 24, 2013, Eric Carmen released the first new recording in over 15 years titled 'Brand New Year', which was issued as a special 'Christmas gift' to herald the arrival of a career retrospective.

In September 2015, Eric Carmen, the author of Louise Mandrell's 'Maybe My Baby,' was charged with drunk driving after hitting a mailbox in Orange, Ohio. He registered a .23 blood-alcohol level, nearly triple the legal limit.

In 2016, Eric Carmen married his wife, Amy Murphy.

A show from the Raspberries reunion, recorded at the House of Blues in Cleveland, was issued in 2017 by Omnivore as 'Pop Art Live.'

Eric Carmen, the frontman of Raspberries and the singer known for the hit 'All by Myself,' passed away at the age of 74.

On March 11, 2024, Eric Carmen passed away in his sleep at the age of 74, as announced by his wife Amy on his website.