CLEVELAND — Eric Carmen, who was the lead vocalist of the Raspberries and a Cleveland native, will be getting a day named in his honor. 

What You Need To Know

  • The City of Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced Thursday Carmen will receive the second annual "Music Keynote to the City" and will have Aug. 11 declared as "Eric Carmen Day," which was also his birthday

  • A special event will be held Aug. 8 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to celebrate the award and proclamation

  • The city said Amy, who was Carmen's partner since 2016, will be accepting the award on his behalf

The City of Cleveland and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced Thursday Carmen will receive the second annual "Music Keynote to the City" and will have Aug. 11 declared as "Eric Carmen Day," which was also his birthday. 

A special event will be held Aug. 8 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to celebrate the award and proclamation. 

“Eric Carmen is – by far – the most successful musical artist to call Cleveland home,” said Cleveland City Councilman Brian Kazy in a press release, who last year spearheaded this award which was given to KISS. “He was a great musician who played multiple instruments and his passing in March was a great loss.”

Carmen passed away on March 11, 2024 at 74 years old. The city said Amy, who was Carmen's partner since 2016, will be accepting the award on his behalf. 

The Raspberries had hits like "Go All The Way," "I Wanna Be With You," "Let's Pretend," and "Overnight Sensation." Before the band when their separate ways, the Raspberries released four studio albums. 

Carmen also had success as a solo artist. He had released a song called "The Rock Stops Here," selling thousands of copies locally as part of the Rock Hall's fundraising efforts. He also releasing "All By Myself" with Celine Dion, "Never Gonna Fall In Love Again" and more. 

More information on the event will be released in the near future.

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