Legendary soul singer Clarence Carter has died at the age of 90 following a series of serious health battles.
The heartbreaking news was confirmed by Rodney Hall, president of the iconic Alabama recording hub FAME Studios, during a statement to Rolling Stone.
According to reports, Carter had recently been diagnosed with Stage 4 prostate cancer and was also battling pneumonia and sepsis before his death.
Carter became one of the most recognizable voices in soul and R&B music during the 1960s and 1970s, delivering a string of hit songs that helped define an era.
His biggest hit, “Slip Away,” exploded onto the charts in 1968 and remains one of the most beloved soul songs of all time.
The singer also earned a Grammy Award for his emotional classic “Patches,” which became a massive crossover hit in the early 1970s.
“I think ‘Patches’ really etched me into the music world,” Carter once said during a 2010 interview.
“Where people are probably going to remember me for a long time to come.”
Even decades later, Carter’s music continued finding new audiences online.
According to Spotify data, the legendary singer still attracted hundreds of thousands of monthly listeners, with “Slip Away” racking up more than 45 million streams on the platform alone.
Songs like “Snatching It Back” and “Patches” also remained hugely popular with fans of classic soul music.
Music fans praised Carter for his unmistakable voice, emotional storytelling, and ability to bridge soul, R&B, and pop audiences during his career.
Despite being in the industry for decades, Carter continued recording music late into his life.
His final studio album, I’m Not Just Good, I’m The Best, was released in 2024.
The soul icon’s death is already sending waves of grief through the music world as fans remember one of the most influential voices of his generation.