Eric Carmen, Raspberry singer and All by Myself singer, has died at the age of 74

Eric Carmen, whose mournful vocals soared above the shrill guitars of 1970s pop pioneers, before his soft rock vocals made him a mainstay of 1980s music, has died. He was 74 years old.

His death was announced on his date website From his wife, Amy Carmen. She did not give a cause, saying only that he died “in his sleep over the weekend.”

Formed in Cleveland, The Raspberries burst onto the American rock scene in 1972 with their self-titled debut album, which featured a raspberry-scented scratch-and-sniff label and became their biggest hit: “Go all the way” A provocative song for its day, sung from a young woman's point of view.

Dave Swanson of Ultimate Classic Rock described it as “the defining power-pop song of all time,” which would become the emerging style, known for grafting bright 1960s-era vocal harmonies onto 1970s-heavy guitar riffs. Named.

“The Who-like opening blast leads into a Beatles-like verse, before landing in some forgettable Beach Boys chorus,” he wrote. “That was the magic of The Mulberry Song. They were able to take the best parts and ideas from the last decade, and turn them into something new, yet familiar.

The Raspberries' second album, “Fresh”, also released in 1972, would be their highest charting hit, charting at No. 36. It included two Top 40 hits, “I want to be with you” And “Let's pretend.”

The band, known for its well-matched suits and clean-cut image, was dismissed by some as outdated.

“Almost every band had waist-length hair and beards and ripped jeans, and they looked like a bunch of hippies, and I wanted to get away from that as much as I could,” Carmen said. 2017 interview with the Observer.

The band has received some critical and label acclaim: John Lennon He was photographed wearing a mulberry shirt. Their influence on rock music will only grow with time.

After the band broke up in 1975, Mr. Carmen went solo. He veered into soft rock, and quickly scored a hit single “Everything is my own effort.” Which peaked at number two.

In the 1980s, two of his biggest hits came from soundtracks. He co-wrote the 1984 film “Footloose.” “Almost paradise,” Which was recorded, written and sung by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson “hungry eyes,” From the movie “Dirty Dancing” in 1987. “You make me lose control” It reached No. 3 in 1988.

Mr. Carmen's songs will be covered by artists as diverse as Sean Cassidy (“This is rock and roll.”), Celine Dion (“Everything is my own effort.”(And John Travolta)“You'll never fall in love again”). In 1989, he began appearing with Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band.

The Raspberries reunited in 2004. A show from that tour appeared on a 28-song live album in 2017. “Berry Pop Art Live. These notes were written by director Cameron Crowe, who appeared in “Go All the Way” in his 2000 film “Almost Famous.”

Mr. Carmen was optimistic about the impact of the berries.

“The rock critics got it, the 16-year-old girls got it, but you know, an 18-year-old who loved Megadeth is never going to like the same record that his sister likes,” he said in a 2017 interview, before that. He recounts the first time he met Bruce Springsteen.

“I walked into his dressing room before the show and he was writing down the set list and we looked at each other for a few minutes — I was very uncomfortable being on the fans' side, so I felt a little stupid. But Bruce looked at me and said, 'You know, while I was writing 'The River' all What I listened to was Woody Guthrie and Raspberry's greatest hits.”