Lou Christie, the singer behind the 1966 No. 1 hit "Lightnin' Strikes," has died at the age of 82. Known for his distinctive falsetto, Christie blended doo-wop, pop, and rock, and helped pave the way for future falsetto-driven acts like Justin Timberlake and Benson Boone.

Christie's wife, Francesca, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter. Christie died on Tuesday, June 17, at their home in Pittsburgh following a brief illness.

Early Career and Hits

Born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco on Feb. 19, 1943, in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, Christie rose to fame in the early 1960s with hits like "The Gypsy Cried" and "Two Faces Have I." He wrote much of his material with longtime collaborator Twyla Herbert, a classically trained pianist four decades his senior.

His signature song was undoubtedly "Lightnin' Strikes." Released in 1966, it climbed the charts and hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on Christie's 23rd birthday. Driven by a dramatic arrangement and Christie's operatic falsetto, the single told the story of a young man torn between love and infidelity — and captured a uniquely teenage mix of angst and bravado. It went on to sell over a million copies and has since been featured in films, television, and commercials, cementing its place as a defining track of the era.

Controversy and Later Career

That same year, Christie released the follow-up single, "Rhapsody in the Rain," a moody, orchestral follow-up that included the lyric, "We were makin' out in the rain / And in this car, our love went much too far." The song was one of the first pop hits to openly reference teenage sexual intimacy, and several radio stations banned it outright.

Under pressure, MGM Records issued a revised version with tamer lyrics, but the song still managed to reach No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. Christie took a brief hiatus from music after being drafted into the U.S. Army. He returned to the charts with "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" in 1969, which made it into the top 10 again.

Christie's recording of "Beyond The Blue Horizon" in 1973 rose to No. 12 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and was featured in the movie soundtrack of Rain Man.

Well into his later years, he remained a steady presence on the oldies circuit, performing regularly alongside fellow '60s icons Frankie Avalon and Fabian as part of the Golden Boys tour. In 2015, he released new material, including a song called "Drive-in Dreams."

Legacy and Personal Life

He's remembered for his distinctive vocal style, which blended doo-wop, pop, and rock. In a 2020 interview with Cousin Brucie, Christie reflected on how he got his falsetto: "I had a high voice, I guess could sing when I was young in a high voice. And I guess when my voice changed, I just acquired the low one and never lost the high one. It was not that unique as I looked at it because I could do it. I didn't walk around thinking it was that great. I could sing."

In addition to his wife, Christie is survived by a daughter. His son, Christopher, died in 2014.

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