Eric Carmen, the iconic rock vocalist who spearheaded the influential 1970s band the Raspberries before achieving remarkable success as a solo artist, has passed away at the age of 74.
His passing was confirmed on his official website by his spouse, Amy Carmen, who shared that he departed this life “in his sleep, over the weekend,” without specifying the cause.
Originating from Cleveland, the Raspberries made a dramatic entrance into the American rock landscape in 1972 with their debut album. Their most celebrated track, “Go All the Way,” stood out as a daring piece for its era, narrated from a young woman’s perspective.
Dave Swanson from Ultimate Classic Rock hailed the song as “the quintessential power pop anthem,” a genre characterized by its fusion of ’60s vocal harmonies with the robust guitar riffs of the ’70s.
Swanson elaborated on the song’s unique blend of influences, noting, “It starts with a Who-inspired explosion, transitions into a verse reminiscent of the Beatles, and culminates in a chorus that the Beach Boys seem to have misplaced.” He admired the Raspberries’ ability to amalgamate the finest elements of the previous decade into something both innovative and comfortably familiar.
The band’s sophomore album, “Fresh,” released the same year, climbed to No. 36 on the charts, its highest position. It boasted two Top 40 singles, “I Wanna Be With You” and “Let’s Pretend.”
Despite their coordinated suits and polished appearance, which led some to view them as outdated, the Raspberries’ impact on rock music would only be fully appreciated with time.
Following the band’s dissolution in 1975, Carmen ventured into a solo career, leaning towards soft rock. He quickly made his mark with the hit single “All by Myself,” which soared to No. 2, cementing his place in music history.