Tommy DeCarlo, a longtime Boston fan who became the lead singer of the classic rock band in the late 2000s, has died. He was 60 years old.
DeCarlo died Monday after a battle with brain cancer, his family announced on Facebook.
“[H]We fought with incredible strength and courage until the end,” the family's statement read. “During this difficult time, we kindly ask that friends and fans respect our family's privacy as we grieve and support each other.”
Born April 23, 1965, in Utica, New York, DeCarlo said he began listening to Boston, the '70s rock band known for its instrumental overtures and hits such as “More Than a Feeling,” “Don't Look Back” and “Peace of Mind,” when he was a young teenager, according to the group's website. The vocalist credited his love for original Boston frontman Brad Delp and his desire to sing with him on the radio for helping him develop his own voice.
After Delp's death in 2007, DeCarlo, then a manager at Home Depot, sent a link to his MySpace page filled with Boston covers, as well as an original song honoring Delp, to the Boston camp, hoping for a chance to participate in a tribute show for the singer. They kindly declined his offer.
But eventually, Boston founder and chief songwriter Tom Scholz heard DeCarlo's version of “Don't Look Back” and invited the singer to perform a few songs with the band at the tribute. That tribute show would be the first time DeCarlo would perform with any band in front of a crowd, but it wouldn't be the last. He continued to perform with the band at live shows for years, and even joined them on a few songs on their 2013 album, “Life, Love & Hope.”
DeCarlo also formed the band Decarlo with his son, guitarist Tommy DeCarlo Jr. In October, the singer announced that he would stop performing due to “unexpected health issues.”
“[P]”Playing and sharing music with all of you around the world has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” DeCarlo wrote in his Facebook post. “I can't thank you enough for the incredible love, support and understanding you have shown me and my family during this time. It really means a lot to us.”
