Eric Carmen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eric Carmen |
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Carmen in the early 1990s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Eric Howard Carmen |
| Born | August 11, 1949 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Origin | Lyndhurst, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 2024 (aged 74) |
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| Years active | 1967–2024 |
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Eric Howard Carmen (born August 11, 1949 – died March 2024) was an American musician. He was a talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Eric was first famous as the lead singer of a band called the Raspberries.
He had many popular songs in the 1970s and 1980s. First, with the Raspberries, he had a huge hit called "Go All the Way". Later, in his solo career, he became known for songs like "All by Myself", "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", "Hungry Eyes", and "Make Me Lose Control".
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
Eric Carmen was born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. His family came from Russia. He grew up in Lyndhurst, Ohio. Eric loved music from a very young age. When he was just two years old, he would entertain his parents by imitating famous singers.
At three, he joined a special music program at the Cleveland Institute of Music. By age six, he started taking violin lessons from his aunt. She was a violinist in the Cleveland Orchestra. When he was 11, he played piano and dreamed of writing his own songs.
When bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones became popular, his dreams changed a bit. By high school, Eric was singing and playing piano in rock bands. Some of these bands were the Fugitives and the Cyrus Erie.
Even though he learned piano in a classical way, Eric taught himself guitar. He bought a Beatles chord book and practiced for months.
Time with the Raspberries
Eric Carmen became very serious about music while attending John Carroll University. He joined a band called Cyrus Erie. This band recorded a few songs, but they were not very successful.
Later, Eric teamed up with other musicians to form the Raspberries. This was a rock and roll band that became very popular in the early 1970s. Eric was the lead singer. He wrote or helped write all of their hit songs.
In 1975, the Raspberries broke up. Eric then started his solo career. He began to focus more on softer rock songs and powerful ballads.
In 2004, the original members of the Raspberries got back together. They played many sold-out shows across the United States. They even recorded a live album of their hits. Eric said he wanted to write new, harder-edged songs for the band.
Solo Career Highlights
Eric Carmen's first two solo songs were big hits in 1976. Both songs were inspired by music from a famous composer named Sergei Rachmaninoff.
His first single, "All by Myself", was based on Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. It reached number 2 in the U.S. and sold over a million copies. His next song, "Never Gonna Fall in Love Again", was based on Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2. This song reached number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These songs were on his first solo album, also called Eric Carmen.
In 1977, Eric released his second album, Boats Against the Current. It included the Top 20 song "She Did It". Other artists also had hits with songs written by Eric. For example, Shaun Cassidy had two big hits with Eric's songs, "That's Rock and Roll" and "Hey Deanie".
After a short break from music, Eric returned in 1985. He released another album called Eric Carmen. This album featured the popular song "I Wanna Hear It from Your Lips".
In 1987, Eric Carmen contributed to the hit movie Dirty Dancing. His song "Hungry Eyes" became a huge success, reaching the Top 10 on the pop charts. The next year, his song "Make Me Lose Control" became a number one hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. It also reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2000, Eric released an album called I Was Born to Love You. He played most of the instruments himself on this album. He also toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. In 2013, he released a new song called "Brand New Year". This song was a special gift to announce a collection of his best songs.
Personal Life
Eric Carmen was married three times. He had two children, Kathryn and Clayton, with his second wife, Susan Brown. He was married to his third wife, Amy Murphy, from 2016 until his death.
In the 1990s, Eric moved back to Gates Mills, Ohio, in northeast Ohio.
Eric Carmen passed away in March 2024 at the age of 74. His wife, Amy, shared the news on his website.
Images for kids
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Eric Carmen in the early 1990s
See also
In Spanish: Eric Carmen para niños
