Clarence Carter has sadly passed away at the age of 90. Rodney Hall, the president of FAME Studios, confirmed the news when speaking with Rolling Stone.
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"A spokesperson for Staton said Carter was recently diagnosed with 4 prostate cancer diagnoses, and was also battling pneumonia and sepsis," Rolling Stone reported.
During the 1960s and 1970s, Carter was a mainstay in the Soul and R&B world. He consistently produced music that made its way on the charts. In fact, he even saw two of his tracks crossover onto the pop charts, showcasing his musical skills.
"Slip Away" is arguably Carter's biggest hit. He released the song in 1968, reaching six on the charts at the time. He also won a Grammy for his song "Patches" which was one of the bigger R&B hits of the early 1970s.
I think 'Patches' really etched me into the music world," Carter said in 2010, via Rolling Stone. "Where people are probably going to remember me for a long time to come. Which I always wanted — but I never knew it would happen that way."
Carter's passing will be a huge blow to the R&B community, fans of the genre, and of course, those close to him. No further details regarding his passing have been released.
Clarence Carter Still Draws an Audience
Even to this day, Clarence Carter's music is still drawing a sizeable audience on streaming platforms. According to Spotify, which makes listening numbers public, Carter has a monthly audience of 471,255. "Slip Away" is his most popular song on the platform, earning more than 45 million plays.
"Snatching It Back" is second on Carter's Spotify most-played list, with 24 million streams. "Patches" rounds out the top three with 14.2 million hits.
When you factor in Apple Music, Amazon Music and the other streaming services, it's easy to surmise that Carter's monthly audience remains over one million listeners each month. To have that many people still playing your songs after decades is a testament to your skill and ability.
Carter's final studio album, "I'm Not Just Good, I'm The Best," was released in 2024. His memory will live on through his exceptional catalog.
