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Soul Singer Clarence Carter Dies at 90

Ed Nielson

Ed Nielson

Clarence Carter, best known for "Strokin'" and "Patches" has died at 90.
soultracks.com

"Patches" and "Strokin'" hitmaker Clarence Carter dies

(May 14, 2026) Most soul music fans can’t remember a time when Clarence Carter wasn’t there. From his monster hitmaking days in the 60s and early 70s to his decades as one of the elder statesmen of Southern Soul Music, Carter has been a constant part of our lives. We’re sad to report that our […]
soultracks.com
 
RIP Clarence Carter! He was one of the most successful blind soul singers in the music business. I think his most controversial release was his cover of the James Carr R&B classic, "At the Dark End of the Street." The long spoken word segment before launching into the song's chorus would presage The Three Degrees' version of "Maybe," (1970); Betty Wright's "Tonight Is the Night," (1978); and all of Barry White's solo top-40 entries, plus Love Unlimited's "Walking in the Rain with the One I Love," (1972).

Probably the most interesting song he ever recorded from my standpoint was 1969's "I Smell a Rat." If you listen to the stereo version of that song through headphones, you can hear, just below the surface, a woman reading the lyrics of the verses to Clarence right before he sings the words. It really gives you an opening into how he recorded some of his early material given his vision loss.
 


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