Boston Singer Brad Delp’s Heartbreaking Suicide Note

Substance abuse, wild parties, and depression are not unfamiliar themes in such an industry as rock and roll. Cathartic music requires cathartic stage acts and many performers take the stage under the influence to give their fans a crazy time. While these themes tend to consume the performer, it takes a high amount of effort to spare some quiet time for themselves and take a break from all the madness.

Aside from the cliche points of the industry, a musician can get depressed or have suicidal thoughts regardless of their experiences. Unfortunately, the theme of suicide is also not unfamiliar to the world, and while many rockstars passed away from substance overdose, others chose to end their lives willingly. Boston’s Brad Delp was one of these souls that passed away at his own will in 2007 and left behind saddening pieces of notes that described his mental state and choice.

Singer And Guitarist Brad Delp’s Career

Brad Delp was a successful musician that came to prominence in 1970 when he joined the band Boston to be their original lead singer and guitarist. He released four studio albums with Boston, and while he was still with the band, he made several collaborations with Barry Goudreau, Orion the Hunter, RTZ, Delp and Goudreau, and Mark Miller.

After he passed away in 2007, his fellow bandmates organized a concert in honor of the singer called ‘Come Together: A Tribute to Brad Delp,’ and all the members performed as a tribute. A Boston fan named Tommy DeCarlo took the microphone instead of Delp and sang throughout the concert.

Why Did Brad Delp Commit Suicide?

On March 9, 2007, Delp was found dead by his fiancee, Pamela, in his house. She noticed something was wrong when she saw the dryer vent tube inside the master bathroom of their house was reaching the exhaust pipe of Delp’s car. He had also left some notes scattered everywhere, and his death was ruled as suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning.

On one note attached to his T-shirt, he wrote a letter referencing the show ‘Twin Peaks’ and stated that he was a ‘lonely soul.’ The other notes were addressed to his children, ex-wife, and fiancee. In additional notes, he penned the words stating that he had been thinking about suicide from an early age.

Here is what was attached to his t-shirt:

“Mr. Brad Delp. ‘J’ai une âme solitaire.’ I am a lonely soul.

His words on thinking about suicide:

“I have had bouts of depression and thoughts of suicide since I was a teenager… Pamela was my ‘ray of sunshine,’ but sometimes even a ray of sunshine is no substitute for a good psychiatrist.”

The Boston website was closed the next day, and there was only a screen stating the loss of the ‘nicest guy in rock and roll.’ Although his death was traumatic for the people close to him, his band moved on to be reborn from their grief, and they introduced a new lineup, including Michael Sweet, Tommy DeCarlo, and Gary Pihl.