Lou Christie, the pop singer best known for his chart-topping hit Lightnin’ Strikes, has died at the age of 82. His family announced the news on social media on Wednesday. No cause or exact date of death was provided.
Christie, born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco on February 19, 1943, rose to fame in the 1960s with his signature falsetto voice and string of pop hits. His biggest success came with Lightnin’ Strikes, co-written with Twyla Herbert. Released in 1965, the single hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1966 and became known for its catchy hook and soaring vocals.
Before that, Christie had found success with Two Faces Have I in 1963, which reached No. 6 on the U.S. charts. The song later inspired Bruce Springsteen’s Two Faces more than two decades later. In 1969, Christie returned to the top 10 with I’m Gonna Make You Mine, which peaked at No. 10 in the U.S. and climbed to No. 2 in the U.K.
Another notable single, Rhapsody in the Rain, stirred controversy in 1966. The song, with lyrics hinting at teenage romance in a car, was banned by some radio stations. Christie later recorded a cleaner version, which helped it reach No. 16.
Christie’s music career began in suburban Pittsburgh. As a teenager, he performed locally with the group Lugee & the Lions, which included Herbert’s daughter. At 15, he started writing songs with Herbert, who was 20 years his senior. In 1962, on the advice of his manager, he adopted the stage name Lou Christie. His first hit under that name, The Gypsy Cried, sold over a million records and reached No. 24 on the charts.
Reflecting on his career, Christie once said he felt he came at the end of the teen idol era. “They all disappeared, but my records kept going through that English Invasion,” he recalled in an interview, describing how he shared the stage with acts like the Supremes, the Ronettes, and Fabian during tours such as Dick Clark’s Cavalcade of Stars.
After his run of chart hits, Christie explored country music and found success on the adult contemporary chart with Beyond the Blue Horizon. He continued recording and performing into the 2010s, remaining a fixture on the oldies concert circuit for decades.
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