Lou Christie, Singer best known for his 60s hit "Lightnin’ Strikes", Dead at 82

Lou Christie, the iconic 1960s pop singer best known for his falsetto hit “Lightnin’ Strikes,” has died at the age of 82. According to his wife Francesca, he passed away on June 17, 2025, at their home in Pittsburgh, following a brief illness.

Born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco on February 19, 1943, in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, Christie rose to fame in the early 1960s with songs like "The Gypsy Cried" (his first hit in 1962), "Two Faces Have I," and the chart-topping "Lightnin’ Strikes" in 1966. His 1966 single "Rhapsody in the Rain" also garnered attention—despite some radio ban—for its candid lyrics.

Christie continued to record and tour through the decades, including active performances as late as 2015 and appearances alongside fellow 60s artists in the Golden Boys tours. He is survived by his wife Francesca and their daughter; their son Christopher tragically died in 2014.

Along with Biran Wilson of the Beach Boys, his passing marks the end of an era for a singer whose dramatic falsetto and boundary-pushing style helped define the sound of ’60s pop and influenced future generations of artists.