Get the latest gossip
Robert John Dies: ‘Sad Eyes’ Singer Was 79
Robert John, whose "Sad Eyes" hit No. 1 in the U.S. and had a Top 5 hit with a cover of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," died February 24 at age 79.
His son Michael Patrick told our sister site Rolling Stone that his father had been recovering a stroke years ago. Written by John and sung in his signature high-register voice, “Sad Eyes” was a first-person tale of a man who had to break up with a temporary girlfriend because his unspecified partner was returning. After a brief stint at A&M, he moved to Atlantic Records and had the big hit with “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” featuring that high voice.
Or read this on Deadline