’60s Pop Singer Tommy McLain Has Died

Louisiana Hall of Fame singer Tom McLain, who topped the charts in the ‘60s with his song “Sweet Dreams,” has died.

McLain passed away Thursday at the age of 85, his family announced. His cause of death was not disclosed.

“It is with immense sadness and heavy hearts we announce the passing of our father Tommy McLain. He departed peacefully on the morning of 7/24/25 at the age of 85,” the McLain family said in a statement shared to Facebook. “He was a beloved father, grandfather, and friend. He will be deeply missed but, the music he made will live on in the hearts and minds of his fans, friends, and family. It will be his legacy.”

McLain was a pioneer of the of the swamp pop music genre. Born in Jonesville, Louisiana on March 15, 1940, the musician took inspiration from the New Orleans sounds of Fats Domino, Little Richard, and Larry Williams, and began his career while still in high school when he formed his own band, per the Louisiana Hall of Fame. He went on to enjoy a career that spanned seven decades and included work on keyboards, drums, bass guitar, and fiddle.

McLain is best known for his rendition of Patsy Cline’s “Sweet Dreams.” McLain’s 1966 recording of the song reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100, surpassing Cline’s version, which peaked at No. 44. The song also sold more than three million copies, earned McLain a gold record, and was featured in the film The Drowning Pool.

Throughout his career, McLain wrote Freddy Fender’s single “If You Don’t Love Me Alone (Leave Me Alone),” toured with toured with Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars and Where the Action Is, and performed with artists including Tommy James & the Shondells, The Yardbirds, Paul Revere & the Raiders, and Jimmy Page. Most recently, he in August 2022, he released I Ran Down Every Dream, his first album in over 40 years, per KSLA.

He was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in October 2007.

Fans paid tribute to the Louisiana music icon following his passing, one person writing, “my condolences to all of you. I’m thinking about all of you. He will live on in my heart and through his music forever.” Another fan remembered McLain as “a great man, outstanding Musician who shared his passion of music to others. He’ll will be deeply missed. What a Legend.”