Clarence Carter – the blind Southern soul singer whose raw vocals powered classics including Patches, Slip Away and the cult favourite Strokin’ – has died aged 90 following a battle with Stage 4 prostate cancer, pneumonia and sepsis.
Clarence Carter – the blind Southern soul singer whose raw vocals powered classics including Patches, Slip Away and the cult favourite Strokin’ – has died aged 90 following a battle with Stage 4 prostate cancer, pneumonia and sepsis
The Grammy-winning musician, who became one of the defining voices of Southern R and B during the late 1960s and 1970s, died on Friday (15.05.26), according to Rolling Stone.
A spokesperson for Clarence’s ex-wife confirmed the singer’s illnesses to the publication.
The Alabama-born performer rose to prominence through a string of emotionally charged hits released on Atlantic Records, with Patches becoming one of the era’s signature soul records.
The song later earned Clarence a Grammy Award for Best R and B Song in 1970.
His death comes amid renewed interest in classic soul and R and B music across streaming platforms and social media, where younger audiences have recently rediscovered artists including Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin through film soundtracks, TikTok trends and vinyl revivals.
Speaking in 2010 about the enduring legacy of Patches, Clarence said: “I think Patches really etched me into the music world. 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.”
Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Clarence lost his sight during childhood and later attended the Alabama School for the Blind before studying music at Alabama State College.
He went on to become one of soul music’s most recognisable voices, combining blues, funk and deep Southern soul into a catalogue that influenced generations of musicians.
His 1968 hit Slip Away became a Top 10 success in the United States, while Patches cemented his crossover fame two years later with its story of poverty and hardship in the Deep South.
Decades later, Clarence found a new audience with 1986’s cheeky funk anthem Strokin’, which became a cult classic and was later featured in Eddie Murphy’s 1996 comedy film The Nutty Professor.
Tributes poured in across social media following news of his death.
One fan wrote on X: “Patches. Great sound. Part of life’s soundtrack. RIP.”
Another posted: “Summer 1970, I was seven years old, travelling to my father’s new Army duty station in Louisiana. Mr Carter’s ‘Patches’ got huge radio airplay during that seven-hour trip. Anytime I hear ‘Patches’ it reminds me of my dear parents. RIP Mr. Carter.”
Clarence remained a touring act well into later life and was known for mixing upbeat funk and blues into his performances rather than leaning solely into emotional ballads.
Speaking in 2011 about misconceptions surrounding blues music, Clarence explained: “In general, most people think of the blues as something sad and ‘I wish I hadn’t done that’, and this kind of thing.”
“But I don’t. Usually, when I go to my show, you’re gonna hear me sing more uptunes that you dance by than you’re gonna hear me sing songs that you’ll cry about.”
Over the course of his career, Clarence worked alongside some of the most influential figures in soul and R and B, recording during the golden age of Southern music alongside artists connected to Muscle Shoals and the wider Atlantic Records stable.
His songs were later sampled, covered and referenced by artists across hip-hop, blues and country music.
In recent years, tracks including Slip Away and Patches experienced renewed popularity online as younger listeners revisited classic soul playlists and film soundtracks.
Back Door Santa also became a perennial festive favourite after being sampled by Run-DMC on Christmas in Hollis, introducing Clarence’s music to a new generation of rap fans.
Clarence’s death marks the loss of one of the last surviving stars of classic Southern soul’s golden era.
