Skip to content 
Carlton experienced serious health challenges in the years before his death, including a stroke in 2019. Reports following his death noted his long struggle with health problems, although his family did not publicly identify a specific cause of death.
His family announcement prompted an outpouring of remembrance from fans and fellow musicians.
For many, the reaction was simple: Carlton’s music had lasted.
A Voice That Won’t Be Forgotten
Carl Carlton’s legacy isn’t limited to chart positions.
It can be heard whenever “Everlasting Love” plays at a gathering, when “She’s a Bad Mama Jama” appears on a classic-funk playlist, or when a younger artist samples sounds from the era that Carlton helped define.
His music crossed generations because it combined powerful vocals with the rhythms of soul, funk, and R&B.
Carlton may be gone, but those recordings remain.
And for the millions who heard his voice over the years, that is perhaps the most fitting tribute of all: the music continues to play.