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Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the band Train, known for hits like “Drops of Jupiter” and “Meet Virginia,” has died at 58.
Colin’s sister, Carolyn Stephens, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. He died after slipping and falling in the shower while house-sitting for a friend in Brussels, TMZ reported.
Colin grew up in Southern California and attended Berklee College of Music in Boston. After college, he played in a group called Apostles with guitarist Jimmy Stafford and singer Rob Hotchkiss. When the band dissolved, Colin moved to Singapore for a year to write jingles.
Eventually, Colin, Hotchkiss, and Stafford relocated to San Francisco, where Train formed in the early ’90s with singer Pat Monahan. Colin brought in drummer Scott Underwood to complete the group, according to an interview with Berklee’s alumni magazine.
As a founding member of Train, Colin played on their first three records: the self-titled debut album in 1998, “Drops of Jupiter” in 2001, and “My Private Nation” in 2003. The latter two albums peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart.
Train’s debut album featured “Meet Virginia,” which broke the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Their sophomore album’s title track, “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me),” went eight-times platinum and earned two Grammys, including Best Rock Song.
Colin left Train in 2003 due to substance abuse issues. “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 told NBC San Diego.
In 2015, Colin reunited with Hotchkiss to start a new band called Painbirds, alongside Tom Luce. In 2017, he formed another band, the Side Deal, with Sugar Ray’s Stan Frazier and the PawnShop Kings’ Joel and Scott Owen.
A tribute to Colin appeared on Train’s social media pages: “When I met Charlie Colin, I fell in love with him. He was the sweetest guy and what a handsome chap. His unique bass playing and beautiful guitar work helped get folks to notice us in SF and beyond. You’re a legend, Charlie. Go charm the pants off those angels.”
Before his death, Colin documented his time in Brussels, calling it “officially my favorite city” in a March Instagram post. He also worked as the musical director of the Newport Beach Film Festival.
“Charlie was a special part of the Newport Beach Film Festival family,” said Todd Quartararo, co-founder of the festival. “His heart, compassion, and creativity will surely be missed.”
Colin is survived by his parents, sister, and niece.