Legendary songwriter behind ‘Hungry Eyes,’ ‘All by Myself’ dead at 74

Singer, guitarist and keyboardist Eric Carmen, who penned several hits in the 1970s and 1980s, has died. He was 74.

Carmen’s death was announced by his wife, Amy Carmen, on the singer’s website.

“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,” Amy Carmen wrote. “Please respect the family’s privacy as we mourn our enormous loss.”

Born Aug. 11, 1949, in Cleveland, Ohio, Carmen’s musical journey started at a young age. He was taking violin lessons by the age of 6 and playing piano and composing compositions by 11, according to his biography.

Upon discovering the Beatles during the early ‘60s, Carmen’s was attracted to rock and roll. He started playing piano and singing with high school bands. While studying at John Carroll University, Carmen joined a local group called Cyrus Erie, which eventually disbanded at the end of the decade, Carmen’s biography continued.

The musician later rose to fame as the lead vocalist of the rock band The Raspberries. Carmen formed the band alongside fellow musicians Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti in 1970.

Their best known songs include “Go All the Way,” “Let’s Pretend,” “I Wanna Be with You”, “Tonight,” and “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record).” The Raspberries were known for their power pop sound, which AllMusic described as “exquisitely crafted melodies and achingly gorgeous harmonies.”

After the band broke up in 1975, Carmen embarked on a solo career and found success with several singles including “All by Myself,” “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,” “She Did It” and “Make Me Lose Control.”

Carmen also wrote the ballad “Almost Paradise,” which was featured in the 1984 Footloose soundtrack. He also wrote and performed “Hungry Eyes,” which featured in the soundtrack for 1987′s Dirty Dancing.

Carmen kept a low profile in the 1990s. But a wide variety of renowned artists covered his songs including Babes in Toyland, Peter Cetera, Sheryl Crow, Celine Dion and Diana Ross, among others.

Carmen’s last album “I Was Born to Love You” was released in the United States in 2000.