FireHouse confirmed the death of their founding member and lead singer, C.J. Snare, at 64 on their official Facebook page.
The band wrote the following in their statement:
“Today is a sad day for rock’n’roll. It is with great sorrow we are letting the world know we have lost our brother: C.J. Snare, the rock and roll warrior, lead vocalist, and a founding member of FireHouse. C.J. Snare passed unexpectedly at home Friday night, April 5, 2024. He was a young 64 years old. As you are all aware, C.J… was expected to be back on stage with the band this summer after recovering from surgery.”
The surviving FireHouse members continued:
“We are all in complete shock with C.J.’s untimely passing. C.J. was arguably one of the best vocal talents of a generation, touring the world with FireHouse non-stop the past 34 years. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Snare family, Katherine Little, friends, and all our beloved fans all over the world. ‘Reach for the Sky’ C.J.! You will be forever missed by family, friends, fans and your bandmates. You’re singing with the angels now.”
In a separate post, Snare’s partner Katherine Little also said:
“In September of 2020, C.J. was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer. His initial prognosis was grim, but that didn’t stop him. We went for a second opinion, and in September of 2021, he had a life-saving operation that gave us these last years with him. He was so incredibly positive during this whole disease.”
She added, further explaining his health condition:
“He was so strong. He never lost hope. All he wanted was to be the C.J. that you all know and love. Last spring, he started having some more issues, and he had another surgery in October 2023. This last surgery left him very weak and unable to live a full life. I’ve been by his side from day 1, and I would have never given up on him.”
Katherine lastly added:
“C.J. leaves behind three wonderful children that are all so very special to me. Life will never be the same. I’m not ready to face this. There is so much to say, but words are incredibly difficult right now. Please respect our family during this time of grief and keep us in your thoughts.”
C.J. Snare’s daughter, Heather, revealed to TMZ that the rocker’s official cause of death was cardiac arrest. Snare had been dealing with health issues for a few years. In September 2020, he was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer but had a successful surgery the next year. In October 2023, he had another surgery, which led him to take a break from FireHouse. During this time, Nate Peck filled in for him. Snare hoped to return to the band for their summer tour in 2024.
The late singer was born in 1959 in Washington, D.C. Snare co-founded FireHouse in 1984 with guitarist Bill Leverty, drummer Michael Foster, and bassist Perry Richardson. They released their first album in 1990. It sold over two million copies in the US, with hit singles ‘Love of A Lifetime’ and ‘When I Look Into Your Eyes,’ both co-written by Snare.
The band released their latest album of original material, ‘Prime Time,’ in 2003. Although they didn’t achieve the success they had earlier, FireHouse maintained its popularity internationally and continued to tour.