Lou Christie Passes On

Lou Christie, the singer-songwriter who had such hits as "Two Faces Have I," "Lightnin' Strikes," and "Rhapsody in the Rain," died on June 18 2025 at the age of 82 following a short illness.

Lou Christie was born Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania on February 19 1943. He attended Moon Area High School in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. He was 15 years old when he befriended classical musician Twyla Herbert, who was 22 years older than he was.The two formed a songwriting partnership that would last until her death in 2009. He performed with various Pittsburgh area groups from 1959 to 1962, and released various singles on local Pittsburgh labels. His single "The Jury" by Lugee & The Lions (which comprised him Twyla Herbert's daughter Shirley, and two more people) proved to be a local hit. 

After graduating from high school in 1961, Lugee Vacco moved to New York City. There he worked as a session vocalist. It was in 1962 that he went to Pittsburgh record executive Nick Cenci with some demo tapes. It was Mr. Cenci who gave him the stage name "Lou Christie." He also produced Lou Christie and Twyla Herbert's composition "The Gypsy Cried" and released it on his own C & C label. It proved to be a regional hit. It was then picked up by Roulette Records and released nationally. It went to no. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Roulette also released his self-titled debut album.

Lou Christie would follow "The Gypsy Cried" with an even bigger hit, "Two Faces Have I," which went to no. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lou Christie's career would be interrupted when he was drafted into the United States Army. He was in the Army for two years. After being discharged from service, Lou Christie signed with MGM Records. While MGM disliked his first single for the label, "Lightnin' Strikes," Lou Christie promoted the song himself and it eventually hit no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The following year he would have a hit with "Rhapsody in the Rain." In the Sixties, Lou Christie would have one more hit, "I'm Gonna Make You Mine," which went to no. 10 in 1969. 

In the Seventies, Lou Christie would have a minor hit with "Beyond the Blue Horizon," which went to no. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. At the same time he shifted towards country music, releasing a self-titled album in the genre. After the Seventies, Lou Christie would release two more singles (one being a cover of "Since I Don't Have You"with Lesley Gore) and five more albums. His last, Summer in Malibu, was released in 2015.

Lou Christie was both a gifted songwriter and a gifted vocalist. He had a remarkable falsetto that he put to particularly good use on "Lightnin' Strikes." He also had fantastic delivery. If such songs as "Two Faces Have I," "Lightnin' Strikes," and "Rhapsody in the Rain" were hits, much of it was because of the emotion in Lou Christie's vocals. A perfect example of Lou Christie's incredible vocals can be found in "Lightnin' Strikes," in which he goes from the stanzas of the song, which are all sweetness and light, sung in his rich baritone voice, to the maniacal falsetto in the build-up to the chorus. Lou Christie was a great vocalist and his song remain listenable to this day.