Tommy DeCarlo, who rose from an online tribute singer to the longtime frontman of the rock band Boston, has died at the age of 60.
His children—Annie, Talia, and Tommy Jr.—announced the news Monday through posts on his social media pages. They said DeCarlo had been battling brain cancer for several months before his death.
“He fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end,” the family wrote.
From Fan Tribute to Rock Frontman
DeCarlo’s journey to international stages began in an unexpected way.
In 2007, following the death of Boston’s original singer Brad Delp, DeCarlo recorded a tribute song honoring the late vocalist. At the time, he was 43 and working at a Home Depot store in North Carolina.
He uploaded the tribute track, along with several Boston cover songs, to his Myspace page and shared the link with members of the band.
At first, the band politely declined. However, Boston’s founder, guitarist, and songwriter Tom Scholz was impressed by how closely DeCarlo’s voice resembled Delp’s.
Scholz soon invited DeCarlo to perform at a tribute concert for the late singer. The performance marked the beginning of an unexpected new chapter in DeCarlo’s life.
Nearly Two Decades With Boston
After the tribute concert, Scholz asked DeCarlo to officially join Boston.
What began as a tribute soon turned into a nearly 20-year run with the legendary rock group.
DeCarlo toured extensively with the band and became a familiar voice for fans during live performances. He also contributed vocals to Boston’s 2013 album Life, Love and Hope.
Despite frequent comparisons to Delp, DeCarlo often said he never intentionally tried to imitate the band’s original singer.
“It wasn’t like I was trying to sing like Brad,” he once said in a biography on the band’s website. “I just loved singing along with him.”
A Remarkable Musical Journey
Boston, formed in 1975, became one of the defining bands of classic rock with hits such as More Than a Feeling and Peace of Mind.
DeCarlo’s unlikely rise—from a fan posting covers online to performing with the band worldwide—became one of the music industry’s most memorable stories of talent discovered on the internet.
For nearly two decades, he carried forward Boston’s signature sound and legacy on stage.
His passing marks the end of a remarkable journey that began with a simple online tribute and grew into a celebrated career in rock music.
