Clarence Carter, the veteran R&B singer known for his smash hit Patches, died after a long battle with Stage 4 prostate cancer, surviving through pneumonia and sepsis.

The singer passed away at the age of 90 on Wednesday, May 14, with the news confirmed to Rolling Stone by Rodney Hall, president of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Carter’s former wife, singer Candi Staton.

Born blind on January 14, 1936, in Montgomery, Alabama, Carter developed a passion for music at an early age after receiving a guitar for Christmas. 

He later attended the Alabama School for the Blind before graduating with a music degree from Alabama State College in 1960.

Carter first gained recognition on the R&B charts with songs including Step By Step and Tell Daddy, but his breakthrough came in 1968 with Slip Away. 

The emotionally charged track showcased his rich baritone voice and became a crossover success on both pop and R&B charts.

Two years later, Carter achieved his biggest hit with the Grammy-winning single Patches, which climbed to No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The song, remembered for its emotional storytelling and spoken-word introduction, became one of the defining soul records of the era.

Beyond mainstream hits, Carter also built a cult following through novelty tracks such as Back Door Santa and Strokin’, both of which later found renewed popularity through films and hip-hop samples, cementing his lasting influence on American music culture.