Lead Singer Of Boston Passes Away

Brad Delp Passed Away In His New Hampshire Home

By Jerry Garner

Rock fans from around the world find themselves in a state of mourning as news circulates that Brad Delp, lead singer of the band Boston, passed away Friday afternoon. A single black page that simply reads “We’ve just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll” has replaced the band’s official web site

For decades, the band Boston has inspired and captivated fans of rock and roll music, capturing an audience that spans multiple generations. Tom Scholz, an MIT graduate who had a passion for developing experimental recording equipment, formed the group in the 1970s.

The group started out as a simple experiment conducted in Scholz’s basement. He recorded guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Jim Masdea to test new recording equipment he had invented.

The result was a demo tape that was rejected by studio executives. Scholz tried once more, featuring his own guitar playing skills, as well as adding vocal tracks by Brad Delp. The second attempt was a success, capturing the attention of executives at Epic Records, although Mansea was replaced on drums at the request of the label.

The record label also placed conditions on the contract that all of the tracks should be re-recorded in a professional studio. The group complied with the song “Let Me Take You Home Tonight”, which was recorded in the California studio. However, the group tricked the record company with all other songs on the first album, which were re-recorded in Scholz’s basement using his home-engineered recording equipment.

The band’s initial album, self-titled “Boston”, enjoyed immense success. The unique sound engineered by the band created a revived interest in rock and roll music, at a time when disco music was rapidly taking control of the music industry. The distinctive style of the band propelled the band’s first album to becoming the largest selling debut album in the history of recorded music, boasting more than 17 million copies.

The group continued to enjoy successes spanning several albums. Although the largest part of their success was in the first decade of their music recordings, they survived on beyond this. The group played together most recently in November 2006, when they packed the Boston Symphony Hall. The band also enjoys a seasonal tour across the United States each Summer.

All of that has now been dwarfed by the tragic and untimely loss of singer Brad Delp, who passed away at the age of 55 Friday afternoon. Local police responded to a call for help at 1:20pm and discovered Delp alone in his home shortly after. Police Lt. William Baldwin said that there is no indication of foul play.

Delp sang lead vocals on the Boston hits “More Than A Feeling” and “Longtime”, and again in 2002 when he performed for the band’s latest album, “Corporate America”.

After seeing the Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan Show, Delp purchased his first guitar in 1970. In addition to his performances with the band Boston, he also sang vocals for the band Return To Zero (RTZ), which was founded by former Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau.

Delp is survived by two children, which he fathered with former wife Micki Delp. He had announced plans to marry his present girlfriend, Pamela Sullivan, later this Summer. The two were to be wed during a two day break of the Boston 2007 Summer Tour.

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Lead Singer Of Boston Dies

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Official Boston Web Site