Clarence Carter, the powerful, deep-voiced R&B-soul singer from Alabama who scored a series of crossover hits during the late 1960s and early 70s, celebrated his 90th birthday on January 14, 2026. Carter, who was born blind, began his music career in the early 1960s as part of a duo with his friend Calvin Scott.
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In the mid-1960s, Clarence & Calvin started recording with producer Rick Hall at the renowned FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. After Scott was injured in a car accident, Carter launched a solo career.
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His debut single, the original song “Tell Daddy” was recorded with Hall at FAME Studios in 1966. It became a minor R&B hit, peaking at No. 35 on the Billboard chart in 1967. That same year, Etta James recorded the tune, changing the name to “Tell Mama.” The song became James’ biggest crossover hit, reaching No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Over the next several years, Carter scored a handful of his own crossover hits on the Hot 100. From 1970 to 1973, Clarence was married to singer Candi Staton, who had been one of his backing vocalists.
According to Wikipedia, Carter’s most recent studio album, Sing Along With Clarence Carter, was released in 2011. He apparently continued to perform well into his eighties, with his last concert to date listed as a performance at the 2021 Atlanta Blues Festival.
In honor of Clarence’s milestone birthday, here’s a look at four of his biggest crossover singles.
“Slip Away” (1968)
“Slip Away” is a passionately sung soul tune about an extramarital affair featured on Carter’s debut album, This Is Clarence Carter. The song was co-written by three members of Clarence’s backing band—William Armstrong, Marcus Daniel, and Wilbur Terrell. The track was produced by Hall and recorded at FAME Studios.
“Slip Away” became Carter’s breakthrough hit, reaching No. 6 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. The song was certified Gold by the RIAA for sales of more than 500,000 copies in the U.S.
“Too Weak To Fight” (1968)
Carter followed up “Slip Away” a few months later with another hit single, “Too Weak To Fight.” The upbeat, horn-driven soul song finds Clarence singing about a woman with whom he’s head over heels in love.
“Too Weak To Fight” was co-written by Carter, Hall, and songwriters George Jackson and John Keyes. The single peaked at No. 13 on the Hot 100 and No. 3 on the Billboard R&B tally.
The song, which was also Certified Gold, appeared on Clarence’s second studio album, The Dynamic Clarence Carter (1969).
“Back Door Santa” (1968)
“Back Door Santa” is a funny, funky, and suggestive holiday song that Carter released in late 1968. The tune was co-written by Clarence and Marcus Daniel.
The horn-driven song features Carter as a sneaky Santa belting out in a gritty soul voice about the mischief he gets into with “all the little girls … while the boys are out to play.”
“Back Door Santa” appeared on the 1968 compilation Soul Christmas. The song didn’t chart on the Hot 100, but it reached No. 4 on Billboard’s Christmas Singles tally.
Run-DMC sampled “Back Door Santa” for its own classic 1987 hip-hop holiday tune, “Christmas In Hollis.”
“Patches” (1970)
Carter had his biggest hit in 1970 with “Patches.” The song was first recorded and released earlier that year by the Detroit-based R&B band The Chairmen Of The Board. It was co-written by Chairmen Of The Board frontman General Johnson and producer/songwriter Ron Dunbar.
The country-soul tune tells the story of a man who grew up in poverty on a rural Alabama farm. He reflects on the advice his father gave him on his deathbed: to work hard but to stay in school. He explains that after his father died, he considered dropping out of school, but remembered his dad’s words and continued his studies. As an adult, he looks back and realizes that by following his father’s advice, he helped give his family a good life.
Carter’s version of “Patches” peaked at No. 4 on the Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Billboard R&B chart. It was a No. 2 hit in the U.K. as well. Thanks to Clarence’s popular cover, “Patches” co-writers Johnson and Dunbar won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Rhythm & Blues Song.
“Patches” was Carter’s third single, and last to date, to be certified Gold by the RIAA.
(Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage)
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