Boston dominated the airwaves from 1976 through the early 1990s, and their legacy as one of the most memorable arena rock bands of the 20th century won’t soon be forgotten. And they wouldn’t be at the level they are today if it weren’t for one young man who wrote some of the band’s biggest hits before the band itself had even formed.
That man was Tom Scholz, who was born on this very day, March 10, 1947, in Toledo, Ohio. Let’s celebrate the icon’s birthday in good fashion by looking back at his career in rock music.
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The Legacy of Tom Scholz and the Rock Band Boston
Tom Scholz was born on this day in 1947 in Toledo, Ohio. He studied piano as a child and enjoyed “tinkering” with numerous things, from model planes to go-karts. Before he became a musician, Scholz earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering and worked for Polaroid as a product design engineer.
That all changed when Scholz attracted the attention of Epic Records. While working for Polaroid, Scholz recorded music at his home studio and continuously submitted those demos to record companies for about six years before earning Epic’s attention. And he managed to get signed (along with singer Brad Delp) to a recording contract without an actual fully formed band. He was tasked with re-recording the demos and sought out the help of drummer Jim Masdea, bassist Fran Sheehan, guitar player Barry Goudreau, and additional drummer Sib Hashian.
They recorded Boston’s legendary debut album and released it via Epic in 1976. And the record became the most successful debut album of all time at that point. “More Than A Feeling” is still a massive fan favorite, and the band was catapulted into fame in an instant.
Scholz is known for being a perfectionist in his music. That allegedly caused Boston’s follow-up, Don’t Look Up, to be delayed several years. Their third album Third Stage also took quite a bit of time. That time was worth the wait, it seems. The band’s first four albums all reached the Top 10 in the United States and elsewhere.
Today, Scholz remains the main songwriter and primary guitarist of Boston. He is also the sole remaining original member of the outfit.
Photo by John Atashian/Getty Images
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