Boston frontman Tommy DeCarlo has passed away after being diagnosed with brain cancer in September. He was 60 years old.

His family confirmed that DeCarlo succumbed on Monday (March 9). “He fought with incredible strength and courage right up until the very end,” they stated in a social media post.

Boston added DeCarlo in 2008 after the original singer Brad Delp died by suicide. (Both would ultimately pass on a March 9.) At the time, DeCarlo was working as a Home Depot credit manager and had an untapped ability to carry Delp’s vocal legacy forward on stage.

How Was Boston’s Tommy DeCarlo Discovered?

DeCarlo participated in multiple well-received tours and Boston’s most recent studio project, earning high praise from leader Tom Scholz along the way. “I think the performances of the band [with DeCarlo] are the best we’ve ever had,” Scholz once remarked.

A lifelong Boston fan, DeCarlo had never been in a band before. “I had that opportunity come when I was 42 years old,” he shared with the Pensacola News Journal.

READ MORE: Remembering Original Boston Frontman Brad Delp

DeCarlo was discovered online after Scholz’s wife stumbled upon his cover version of the title track from 1978’s multi-platinum Don’t Look Back. “I said, ‘Which show is that?'” Scholz later recalled. “She said, ‘What do you mean?’ I said, ‘Which show is that? It’s got to be one of our live shows.’ She said, ‘That’s not your band.’

Scholz was astonished by DeCarlo’s vocal resemblance. “I cannot tell you that that wasn’t Brad Delp,” he added. “It was amazing.”

Tommy DeCarlo Becomes the ‘Ultimate Rock and Roll Frontman’

DeCarlo performed with a pre-recorded track. He had never toured before. “In spite of that,” Scholz noted, “he was so obviously gifted.” Initially, DeCarlo only handled about half of the setlist as Boston played more than 50 summer North American dates on a double bill with Styx. (Michael Sweet was their second vocalist, followed by David Victor.)

By the time Boston returned to the road for his second tour, Scholz stated that DeCarlo had transformed into the “ultimate rock and roll frontman and performer. … It was just an awesome transformation.” He also began contributing in the studio.

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Boston toured from June through September 2012 ahead of releasing the group’s sixth album, Life, Love & Hope. DeCarlo sang the title track and “The Way You Look Tonight,” while sharing vocals on “Someday” and “You Gave Up on Love (2.0).” Boston’s subsequent Heaven on Earth shows took DeCarlo across the U.S. again and into Japan.

DeCarlo toured with Boston every year between 2014-2017, notably celebrating the group’s 40th anniversary in 2016 with a rare show in their namesake hometown. He also launched a stand-alone band with his son Tommy Jr., simply called DeCarlo. Recently, there had been discussions of new music from Boston and possibly a 50th anniversary tour, but then DeCarlo’s health began to decline.

Listen to Tommy DeCarlo Sing Boston’s ‘Life, Love & Hope’

What Was Boston Singer Tommy DeCarlo’s Cause of Death?

“In late September, Dad suffered a sudden brain bleed and underwent an emergency craniotomy,” Tommy Jr. explained after launching a GoFundMe campaign. “During surgery, doctors discovered two melanoma masses on his brain and another spot on his lungs.” Although DeCarlo recovered from surgery, he was hospitalized again due to another brain bleed.

DeCarlo returned home just after Christmas. A fundraising event had already been announced to assist with his medical expenses. Voices of Change: A Benefit Concert for Tommy DeCarlo was scheduled for March 29 near his home in Cornelius, North Carolina.