Charlie Colin, Founding Member Of The Band Train, Dies At 58 After Slipping In Shower

BRUSSELS — Charlie Colin, the bassist and founding member of the band Train, best known for their early-aughts songs “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia,” has passed away. He was 58.

Colin’s sister, Carolyn Stephens, confirmed her brother’s death to The Associated Press on Wednesday. He died after slipping and falling in the bathtub while housesitting for a friend in Brussels, according to celebrity website TMZ.com.

Charlie Colin | NY Post Image

Charlie Colin, Founding Member Of The Band Train, Dies At 58 After Slipping In Shower

Colin grew up in Southern California and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After college, he joined the band Apostles, which included guitarist Jimmy Stafford and singer Rob Hotchkiss. After the band broke up, Colin spent a year writing jingles in Singapore.

Colin, Hotchkiss, and Stafford eventually migrated to San Francisco, where they created Train in the early 1990s alongside singer Pat Monahan. According to an interview with Colin and Hotchkiss in Berklee’s alumni magazine, Colin rounded out the quartet with drummer Scott Underwood.

Colin was a founding member of the pop-rock band, appearing on the band’s first three albums: 1998’s self-titled album, 2001’s “Drops of Jupiter,” and 2003’s “My Private Nation.” The latter two albums peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 charts.

“Meet Virginia,” from Train’s debut album, peaked at number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the band’s sophomore album cemented their fame.

The eight-time platinum title tune “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” featured Rolling Stones session pianist Chuck Leavell and Leonard Cohen’s string orchestrator Paul Buckmaster. It was written after Monahan’s mother’s death. It peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard list and won two Grammys, including Best Rock Song.

Colin departed Train in 2003 due to substance misuse.

Charlie Colin | Reddit Image

Charlie Colin, Founding Member Of The Band Train, Dies At 58 After Slipping In Shower

“Charlie is one incredible bass player, but he was in a lot of pain, and the way he was dealing with it was very painful for everyone else around him,” Monahan stated to NBC San Diego.

In 2015, he rejoined Hotchkiss to form the new band Painbirds alongside Tom Luce. In 2017, he established the Side Deal, which included Sugar Ray’s Stan Frazier and the PawnShop Kings’ Joel and Scott Owen.

Train posted an homage to Colin on their social media platforms on Wednesday.

“When I met Charlie Colin (front left), I fell in love with him. He was the sweetest and most attractive man. “Let’s form a band; it’s the only reasonable thing to do,” it reads.

“His distinct bass playing and wonderful guitar work helped get people to notice us in San Francisco and abroad. I’ll always have a soft spot for him in my heart. I always attempted to bring him closer, but he had his vision. You are a legend, Charlie. “Go charm the pants off those angels,” the unsigned post added.

Colin documented his stay in Brussels before his death, declaring it “officially my favorite city” in a March Instagram post.

Charlie Colin | NY Post Image

Charlie Colin, Founding Member Of The Band Train, Dies At 58 After Slipping In Shower

Colin also served as the music director for the Newport Beach Film Festival.

“Charlie was a special part of the Newport Beach Film Festival family,” said Todd Quartararo, the festival’s co-founder. “His heart, compassion and creativity will surely be missed.”

He is survived by his parents, sister, and niece

SOURCE – (AP)