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Eric Carmen, the rock singer who led the 1970s power-pop pioneers the Raspberries before embarking on a successful solo career, has died. He was 74.<\/p>\n
His death was announced on his website<\/a> by his wife, Amy Carmen. She did not give a cause and said only that he died \u201cin his sleep, over the weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n The Raspberries, which formed in Cleveland, burst onto the American rock scene in 1972 with their self-titled debut album, featuring their biggest hit, \u201cGo All the Way,\u201d<\/a> a provocative song for its day, sung from the point of view of a young woman.<\/p>\n Dave Swanson of the website Ultimate Classic Rock called it \u201cthe definitive power pop song of all time,\u201d as the emerging style, known for grafting \u201960s-era vocal harmonies onto the crunchy guitar riffs of the \u201970s, would come to be called.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe opening Who-like blast leads into a very Beatles-esque verse, before landing in some forgotten Beach Boys chorus,\u201d he wrote<\/a>. \u201cThus was the magic of the Raspberries song craft. They were able to take the best parts and ideas from the previous decade, and morph them into something new, yet familiar.\u201d<\/p>\n The Raspberries\u2019 second album, \u201cFresh,\u201d also released in 1972, would be their highest-charting, at No. 36. It featured two Top 40 hits, \u201cI Wanna Be With You\u201d<\/a> and \u201cLet\u2019s Pretend.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Known for its matching suits and clean image, the band was dismissed by some as pass\u00e9, though its influence on rock music would grow over time.<\/p>\n After the band broke up in 1975, Mr. Carmen went solo. He swerved into soft rock, quickly scoring a hit single with \u201cAll by Myself,\u201d<\/a> which peaked at No. 2.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n