Charlie Colin, former bassist and one of the founding members of the popular rock band Train, has died at the age of 58. The news was confirmed by his sister, Carolyn Stephens, on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. Colin died in Brussels, Belgium, after a fall in the shower at a friend’s house where he was house-sitting. His death was discovered upon his friend’s return from a trip, and the exact time of his death remains unknown.
Born and raised in Southern California, Colin developed a passion for music at an early age. He honed his skills at the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. After graduation, he joined the band “Apostles” alongside guitarist Jimmy Stafford and vocalist Rob Hotchkiss. Following the band’s breakup, Colin moved to Singapore for a year to write jingles, demonstrating his commitment to his musical craft.
In the early 1990s, Colin, Stafford, and Hotchkiss moved to San Francisco, California, where they formed Train with singer Pat Monahan. Colin added drummer Scott Underwood to the lineup, solidifying the band. This marked the beginning of Train’s rise to fame.
Train’s first album, launched in 1998, featured the hit single “Meet Virginia,” which made the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. Their second album, “Drops of Jupiter,” released in 2001, skyrocketed them to stardom. The title song, which included contributions from the Rolling Stones’ session pianist Chuck Leavell and string orchestrator Paul Buckmaster, won two Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song. The song, written by Monahan about the loss of his mother, deeply resonated with fans.
Despite Train’s success, Colin’s time with the band was marked by challenges. He left the band in 2003 due to struggles with substance abuse. As Monahan reflected, “Charlie is one incredible bass player, but he was in a lot of pain, and how he dealt with it was very painful for everyone else around him.”
After parting ways with Train, Colin continued to make music. He reunited with Hotchkiss in 2015 to form a band named Painbirds. In 2017, he collaborated with Stan Frazier of Sugar Ray and Joel and Scott Owen of the PawnShop Kings to form another band, the Side Deal. Colin’s dedication to music was unwavering, and his influence spanned across multiple projects.
In addition to his band pursuits, Colin served as the musical director for the Newport Beach Film Festival. Todd Quartararo, a co-founder of the festival, stated that Colin’s “heart, compassion, and creativity will surely be missed.”
Prior to his death, Colin had been living in Brussels, a city he professed to love in a March Instagram post, referring to it as “officially my favorite city.”
Train paid tribute to Colin on social media, stating, “Meeting Charlie Colin was love at first sight. He was incredibly sweet and strikingly handsome. Forming a band seemed like the only logical step. His distinctive bass playing and guitar skills gained us recognition in San Francisco and beyond. He will always hold a special place in my heart. Despite efforts to bring him closer, he followed his own path. You’re a legend, Charlie. Go charm those angels.”
Colin is survived by his parents, sister, and niece. His lasting influence on the music industry and the memories of those who knew him continue to endure.
