Eric Carmen, Singer of 'All by Myself' & 'Hungry Eyes,' Dies at 74

Rocker Eric Carmen, who was the frontman of the Raspberries and who tasted solo success with several iconic Top 5 hits, has died. He was 74.

His official site carries a message from his wife, Amy Carmen, that reads, "It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen. Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend."

"It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be
his lasting legacy," she went on, asking for privacy and ending with, “Love Is All That Matters...Faithful and Forever.”

Carmen was born August 11, 1949, in Cleveland. He studied music intensively throughout his childhood, becoming a classically trained pianist.

In 1970, he was a founding member of the power-pop band the Raspberries. As its lead singer, he also wrote or co-wrote all the band's hits, including "Go All the Way," which hit no. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972, "I Wanna Be with You" (1972), "Let's Pretend" (1973), and "Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)" (1974).

The band broke up in 1975, the year Carmen released his self-titled debut album. Its lead single, the Rachmaninoff-inspired "All by Myself," soared to no. 2 on the charts and became a classic. Its follow-up hit, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (1976), was another big seller, and was also based on the Russian composer's work.

Carmen hit the Hot 100 13 times as a solo act, including back-to-back smashes "Hungry Eyes" (a no. 4 hit from the 1987 "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack) and "Make Me Lose Control" (no. 3 in 1988).

In 2004, Carmen reformed the Raspberries, enjoying a successful reunion tour and releasing a popular live album.

Carmen was survived by his third wife, Amy, and by his two children with his second wife.