More comprehensively written article from the Union Leader. Boston Channel = Boston Globe = rag.
'
Nice guy' rocker dies at 55
By CAROL ROBIDOUX
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
13 hours, 1 minute ago
Brad Delp, best known for his distinctive lead vocals for 1970s arena-rock band Boston, was found dead inside his Atkinson home yesterday. He was 55.
"He was the most humble guy you'd want to meet. He had no rock star attitude, he had no problem mingling with the crowd. He'd talk to fans for hours," said local musician Gardner Berry, who most recently worked with Delp in November during a benefit at the Black Brimmer in Manchester.
A 911 call brought Atkinson police to Delp's home on Academy Avenue about 1:20 p.m.
Delp was apparently home alone at the time of his death. Police were still investigating the cause of death, but said there was no indication of foul play.
Last night, the Boston Web site was taken down and replaced with the statement: "We just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll."
After more than 30 years in the music business, Delp remained active in the local music scene, lending his name and talents to a variety of benefit concerts around New England.
Last weekend Delp played a gig for about 300 fans at Keene High School with Beatlejuice. Delp founded the Beatles tribute band about 14 years ago, a project he described during a radio interview last year as "my hobby and my passion."
Local radio personality Parker Springfield of WKNE-FM in Keene first interviewed Delp in March 2006. The two sat down again last weekend for another interview, and to record an hour-long segment about the Beatles.
Springfield said Delp was upbeat and talked at length about his career and his own roots in Beatlemania. He also spoke about looking forward to touring this summer with Boston and marriage to longtime girlfriend Pamela Sullivan during a tour break.
"It's a shock," Springfield said last night. "Three minutes before he was supposed to go on stage last week we were still chatting - he was just that kind of regular guy, so down to earth. The kind of guy who, after a show, would sit at the end of the stage and just talk with people. He really had his ego in check."
Springfield said that although he noticed Delp appeared thinner than he did a year ago, he looked healthy.
"He was only 55, and I know he's been a vegetarian for about 30 years. It's hard to understand what could've happened," Springfield said.
Beatlejuice had a full slate of gigs over the next few months, including shows last night and tonight at Johnny D's in Somerville, Mass., where the band had developed a huge following as house regulars over the last dozen years.
"Several of the band members were floating around in here yesterday, setting up. Then they got a call and pretty much left," said Julian Hammond, a server at the bar. "Since then everyone's been calling and inquiring about what's going on."
Hammond said both weekend shows were canceled.
Delp was a native of Danvers, Mass., moving to New Hampshire in 1980 and living for a time in Londonderry before settling in Atkinson.
Last night Scott Hayward of Tupelo Music Hall in Londonderry, said he had met Delp last May while he was in town for a Jayme's Fund benefit concert at Pinkerton Academy.
"They were doing sound check, and I got to meet him," Hayward said. "He was very professional and a really nice guy. He was a draw. People really liked seeing him."
Delp recorded several albums with Boston before leaving the band in 1991 to front Return to Zero with Boston bandmate Barry Goudreau.
Boston reunited in 1997 and released a few remastered versions of their earlier hit albums. In 2002 they released "Corporate America," which led to a 2003 national tour launched in Manchester at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Delp's distinctive sound as heard on hits "More Than a Feeling," and "Amanda," were once described in Rolling Stone magazine as "skyscraper vocals," a rare and distinctive gift among rock singers not lost on fellow musician Gardner Berry, of Manchester-based cover band Mama Kicks.
He said he admired Delp as much for his legendary career as for his love of music and genuine concern for others.
Berry credits Delp's contribution as key to the success of the November benefit at the Brimmer for slain Manchester police Officer Michael Briggs. Delp and Goudreau reunited on the intimate stage, performing several crowd-pleasers for the sell-out audience, and mingling generously afterward with fans.
"Brad and I shared a few stages together over the years," Berry said last night. "In fact, he was planning to come to our gig next week at Whippersnappers in Londonderry, to hear our Zeppelin tribute band, Four Sticks," Berry said.
Berry remembered when he first heard Boston back in 1976, after buying the album on a word-of-mouth recommendation from a friend.
"What an inspiration. I played it to death, played the grooves right off the vinyl," Berry said. "It's hard to believe he's gone."
Union Leader Correspondent Jon Campisi contributed to this report.
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