Tommy DeCarlo, the singer who spent nearly two decades on the road with Boston after posting video tributes to the band's original frontman, died Monday at 60, his family announced on Facebook. DeCarlo was diagnosed with brain cancer in September, relatives said, adding that he "fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end." They asked for privacy as they mourn. A representative for Boston did not immediately respond to media requests for comment, Rolling Stone reports.
A lifelong fan of the band he'd eventually lead, DeCarlo grew up singing along to Boston hits and credited original lead singer Brad Delp with helping him find his own voice. He first discovered the 1970s band at age 12, Deadline reports. A self-taught pianist and choir singer, DeCarlo was working at a Home Depot in Charlotte, NC, and gigging in local rock bands when Delp died by suicide in 2007. DeCarlo posted a tribute song and Boston covers on MySpace and sent a link to the band; after an initial brush-off, band founder Tom Scholz called back, impressed by how closely DeCarlo's vocals matched Delp's. DeCarlo was invited to a Delp tribute show, then offered the full-time job.
DeCarlo went on to tour with Boston for nearly 20 years and was among several vocalists on the group's 2013 album, Life, Love & Hope. He also formed the band DeCarlo with his son, Tommy DeCarlo Jr., releasing the albums Lightning Strikes Twice in 2020 and Dancing in the Moonlight in 2022. He is also survived by two other children, Annie and Talia, the AP reports. Reflecting on his unlikely second act in a 2015 interview, DeCarlo called the feeling of performing Boston's songs live "almost indescribable."
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