Brad Delp
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Brad Delp | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 12, 1951 Danvers, Massachusetts, USA |
| Died | March 9, 2007 (aged 55) Atkinson, New Hampshire |
| Genre(s) | Rock, Hard rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, harmonica |
| Years active | 1969 - 2007 |
| Label(s) | Epic Records, MCA Records, Artemis Records |
| Associated acts | Boston, RTZ, Beatlejuice |
| Website | Bandboston.com |
Bradley E. Delp (June 12, 1951 – March 9, 2007) was an American musician best known as the lead vocalist of the rock band Boston. He was also known for his resonant tenor voice.
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[edit] Early life
Delp was born in Danvers, Massachusetts[1] to Canadian immigrants. While his father played fiddle at home, Brad was inspired after seeing The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and he started to learn guitar. He saw the Beatles live at Suffolk Downs in East Boston on 18 August 1966.[2] In 1970, he was making heating elements for Mr. Coffee machines at Danvers company Hot-Watt when he met Boston founder Tom Scholz, guitarist Barry Goudreau and drummer Jim Masdea.
[edit] Boston and bands
Delp auditioned as lead vocalist for the band that became Boston in 1976, and got the job immediately. He also contributed back-up vocals, guitar, and keyboards on the Boston albums, and also played the harmonica. His partnership with guitarist Tom Scholz led to a string of hit songs.[3]
Delp did all of the lead and backing vocals on the first three Boston albums. Following the 1978 album Don't Look Back, Delp contributed lead vocals to a solo album by Boston guitarist Barry Goudreau. Delp also contributed backing vocals to Orion the Hunter's debut album (1984), another band from Goudreau, and the group RTZ (Return to Zero) .[4] He returned to the group Boston to record Third Stage, released in 1986.[1]
On the 1994 album Walk On, Fran Cosmo replaced Delp who was working with Return to Zero, but the album did not sell as well. Delp later shared vocals with Cosmo in concert, where Delp said Cosmo covered "the really tough high parts." [5]
Delp returned to the Boston line-up in 1994 and made contributions to their 1997 Greatest Hits and 2002 Corporate America albums.
From 1995-2007 Delp played in a Beatles tribute band called Beatlejuice when he had time off from the band. Delp also performed with Goudreau on an album released in 2006, titled Delp and Goudreau.
[edit] Later life and death
Delp was married and divorced twice, and had two children by his second wife. He had been a vegetarian for over thirty years and had contributed to a number of charitable causes.[6] He had been set to marry Pamela Sullivan, his girlfriend of seven years.
On March 9, 2007, Delp was found dead in his home in Atkinson, New Hampshire. Delp, who was only 55, died from the smoke of two charcoal grills he lit inside his sealed bathroom. He was found by his girlfriend Pamela Sullivan lying on a pillow on his bathroom floor with a suicide note pinned to his shirt stating that he was a "lonely soul". The official cause of death was listed as carbon monoxide poisoning.[7][8] That day, the official web site for the band was taken down and replaced with the statement: "We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll."
Delp left private notes to all his family members and a public note that read: "Mr. Brad Delp. Je suis une âme solitaire. I am a lonely soul." [9] [10]
A tribute concert featuring his former band mates took place on August 19, 2007, the day after his marriage was to have taken place.
On October 16, 2007, Barry Goudreau released one final song with Brad on vocals titled "Rockin' Away." Recorded in the summer of 2006, it is an autobiography of Delp's music career. The song was a minor hit in early 2008, charting up to #18 on the America's Music ranking of rock radio airplay. [11]
[edit] Discography
- Boston (1976)
- Don't Look Back (1978)
- Barry Goudreau (1980)
- Orion The Hunter (1984)
- Third Stage (1986)
- Return To Zero (1991)
- Greatest Hits (Boston) (1997)
- Lost (1998)
- Corporate America (2002)
- Lost And Found (2005)
- Delp And Goudreau (2006)
- Delp And Goudreau (2007) a single titled "Rockin Away"
[edit] References
- ^ a b Pareles, Jon (March 10, 2007). Brad Delp, 55, Lead Singer for Boston, Dies. The New York Times
- ^ Moskowitz, Eric (2007-08-18). Delp's bandmates, friends unite in tribute and in sadness. The Boston Globe.
- ^ Pareles, Jon (November 5, 1986) New Boston hit a throwback to the 70's. The New York Times
- ^ Winberg, Pär (1980). Interview with Brad Delp. melodic.net
- ^ Pareles, Jon (June 10, 1995). In performance: Rock. The New York Times
- ^ Wright, Jeb (July 2003). Interview with Brad Delp. Classic Rock Revisited
- ^ Police Report On Delp's Death Reveals His Final Message March 14, 2007
- ^ Family: Rocker Brad Delp's death was suicideMarch 14, 2007
- ^ 'I am a lonely soul,' Delp's suicide note says March 15, 2007
- ^ Brad Delp's fiancee releases statement on his death March 28, 2007
- ^ thirdstage.ca - 'Rockin Away' on Radio Charts
[edit] External links
- Brad Delp at the Internet Movie Database
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Delp, Bradley E. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 12, 1951 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Danvers, Massachusetts, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 9, 2007 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Atkinson, New Hampshire, United States |
