Soul icon Clarence Carter dead aged 90 after brutal health battle The Grammy-winning singer behind Slip Away and cult favourite Strokin' died following a battle with cancer and pneumonia, prompting an outpouring of tributes from fans revisiting the soundtrack of t 15 May 2026 Clarence Carter - the blind Southern soul singer whose raw vocals powered classics including Patches, Slip Away and the cult favourite Strokin' - has died aged 90 following a battle with Stage 4 prostate cancer, pneumonia and sepsis.