NEWSLFO Frontman Rich Cronin Dies at 35 From Cancer
Sept. 9 2010, Published 4:00 a.m. ET
Rich Cronin, former member of the '90s boy band LFO, passed away Wednesday after battling leukemia since 2005. The singer was 35.
"On behalf of the Cronin family and all at the Hope Foundation and his record label Orange Freeze, thank you so much for your kind words and thoughts. Continue to post them as a tribute to a great man, a better artist and the best friend I could ever have," Rich's manager Melissa Holland wrote on his Facebook page, confirming the singer's untimely death.
Friends including fellow boy-bander Lance Bass sent their condolences.
"Sad sad day that Rich Cronin died- was a amazing guy. : (" Lance Tweeted.
Rich was first diagnosed with myelogenous leukemia in 2005. He later established the Rich Cronin Hope Foundation to raise public awareness for cancer treatment, particularly about donating blood and bone marrow.
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Rich wrote LFO's biggest hit, “Summer Girls." The tune spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Single Sales chart in 1999 and it scored a platinum single as a result of popularity.
In memory of Rich, take a look back at his performances, alongside bandmembers Brad Fischetti and Devin Lima. Firt, in the music video for "Summer Girls" Rich's catchy lyrics namechecked everything form Abercrombie & Fitch to New Kids on the Block to Macauly Culkin in Home Alone, Michael J. Fox as Alex P Keaton and Willy Shakespeare.
The hit video for their follow-up No. 1 single, “Girls on TV,” featured Rich’s then-girlfriend Jennifer Love Hewitt, who was also served as Rich's inspiration behind writing the song.
