’70s teen heartthrob and lead singer on “The Partridge Family,” David Cassidy 67, has died.

’70s teen heartthrob and lead singer on “The Partridge Family,” David Cassidy 67, has died.

Cassidy was in critical condition at intensive care unit of a Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was suffering from organ failure before his death Tuesday, according to his publicist Jo-Ann Geffen. “David died surrounded by those he loved, with joy in his heart and free from the pain that had gripped him for so long. Thank you for the abundance and support you have shown him these many years,” said Geffen.

He had appearances on “Ironside,” “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Adam-12” and “Bonanza.” and in 1970, Cassidy began playing the role of Keith Partridge on the musical sitcom of a singing family “The Partridge Family.” His stepmother, Shirley Jones, portrayed his mother, a widow with five children.
The single “I Think I Love You,” featuring Cassidy on lead vocals, hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1970 and sold more than 5 million copies. The songs “Doesn’t Somebody Want To Be Wanted” and “I’ll Meet You Halfway” also hit the top 10.

Cassidy released three well-received solo albums on RCA in 1975 and 1976. Cassidy became the first recording artist to have a hit with “I Write the Songs”, a top-20 record in Great Britain before the song became Barry Manilow’s signature tune. Cassidy’s recording was produced by the song’s author-composer, Bruce Johnston of The Beach Boys.

In 2011, Cassidy recorded a public service announcement for Alzheimer’s disease research and prevention—due to his mother, Evelyn Ward, having the condition—and said that he would campaign for that cause whenever possible. He planned to address Congress in 2012.

In 2017, Cassidy revealed that he was in the early stages of dementia, the same disease his mother and grandfather suffered from.

On November 18, 2017, it was announced that Cassidy had been hospitalized suffering from liver and kidney failure, and was critically ill in a medically induced coma.[58] He was out of the coma two days later, but remained in critical but stable condition, with doctors hoping to keep him stable until a liver becomes available for transplant. Cassidy died on November 21, 2017, aged 67 years.