Pittsburgh singer Lou Christie dies at age 82
Native Pittsburgh singer Lou Christie, who scored No. 1 Billboard hit with “Lightnin’ Strikes” in 1966, has died. He was 82 years old.
His wife, Francesca, told the Hollywood Reporter that Christie died at home in Pittsburgh after an undisclosed illness.
In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the Sacco family reported the falsetto crooner’s death.
“It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved brother, Lou Christie, who left us after a brief illness,” the post reads.
“He was cherished not only by his family and close friends, but also by countless fans whose lives he touched with his kindness and generosity, artistic and musical talent, humor and spirit. His absence leaves a profound void in all our hearts,” the post read.
Christie was born Feb. 19, 1943, as Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco. He grew up in Allegheny County in the Glenwillard section of Crescent Township.
He left for New York immediately after graduating from Moon Area High School in 1961 to pursue his musical career.
In 1963, Christie scored a couple of hits with “The Gypsy Cried,” peaking at No. 24 on the Hot 100, and “Two Faces Have I,” which peaked at No. 6. But it was in February 1966 that Christie scored his No. 1 single “Lightnin’ Strikes.”
The follow-up single, “Rhapsody in the Rain,” peaked at No. 16 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
The song’s opening lyrics upset a few radio stations at the time, who refused to play the song because of it.
“We were makin’ out in the rain.
“And in this car, our love went much too far”
Scandalous for 1966, MGM issued a revised set of lyrics:
“We fell in love in the rain
“And in this car, love came like a falling star”
Christie was dropped by MGM in the late 1960s, and later scored another Top 10 hit with “I’m Gonna Make You Mine.”
In the early 1970s, Christie traveled between New York and London, meeting his wife, British beauty queen Francesca Winfield, in the latter.
He attempted a genre shift, recording a country album in 1974. He had a minor hit on the Adult Contemporary chart with “Beyond the Blue Horizon.” That track was included in the 1988 film soundtrack for “Rain Man.”
Among Christie’s other hits are “Outside the Gates of Heaven,” “Are You Getting Any Sunshine?”, “Big Time” and “She Sold Me Magic.” He recorded his final album in 2004. More recently, Christie toured with Frankie Avalon and Fabian as a member of Dick Fox’s Golden Boys.
Christie is survived his wife, Francesca, and a daughter, Bianca. The couple’s son, Christopher, died in 2014 at age 46 in a motorcycle crash.
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