Clarence Carter, the blind Alabama soul singer and producer who made a string of hits in the '60s and '70s, has passed away. Rolling Stone reports that Carter passed away today after a stage 4 prostate cancer diagnosis. Carter was 90.
Clarence Carter, born blind, grew up in Montgomery, Alabama and graduated Alabama State University in 1960. As a young man, Carter was one half of a duo with his friend Calvin Scott; they recorded early-'60s singles under the names Clarence & Calvin and the C&C Boys. After Scott was hurt in a car accident, Carter kept working as a solo artist, and his 1967 single "Tell Daddy" reached the R&B charts and inspired an Etta James answer record. From there, Carter signed with Atlantic, and his 1968 breakup song "Slip Away" became a crossover top-10 pop hit.
More hits followed. Later in 1968, Carter reached #4 on the Hot 100 with "Back Door Santa," a horny novelty Christmas song that Run-DMC later sampled on "Christmas In Hollis." Carter once again reached #4 with his Grammy-winning 1970 version of "Patches," a soulful poverty lament originally recorded by the Chairmen Of The Board. For a few years, Carter was married to fellow soul great Candi Staton, and they had a son together. Carter's run of hits was short, but he continued to make joyously horny songs like the 1986 single "Strokin'." (Today, that's his most popular song on streaming services.) Carter's last album was 2020's Mr. Old School. Check out some of Carter's work below.
