BOSTON (AP) — Fans of the rock band Boston can get more than a feeling at an upcoming auction — they can get their hands on the personal belongings of late lead singer Brad Delp.
In this July 24, 2004, file photo, Boston lead singer and guitarist Brad Delp performs at the Outdoor Star Arena at Ameristar Casino and Hotel in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (AP)
Delp’s concert grand piano, an electric guitar, silver glitter platform stage shoes and even his New Hampshire driver’s license are among the items for sale by Boston-based RR Auction starting Dec. 7.
The belongings are from the personal collection of Delp’s wife, Micki Delp, and their two children.
“I hope that all these items end up in the hands of people who appreciate it, and preserve the legacy of Brad’s kindness and humor,” Micki Delp said in a statement. “He was always kind and generous. He really was unaffected by the fame and fortune that fell in his lap. It shows in all these wonderful things.”
Brad Delp joined Boston in the early 1970s, and the band rocketed to fame in 1976 with its self-titled debut album, which for years was the biggest-selling debut album of all-time. The album included the hits “More Than a Feeling,” ”Foreplay/Long Time” and “Smokin’.”
Delp killed himself at his Atkinson, New Hampshire, home in 2007.
The centerpiece of the auction is the piano, an 1873 Chickering of hand-carved rosewood. It is expected to fetch $50,000 or more at the auction, which runs for a week.
Delp’s Paul Reed Smith Custom 22 electric guitar could sell for $5,000, while the platform shoes are expected to go for about $1,000.
The auction includes telegrams Delp received from Paul McCartney and his Danvers, Massachusetts, high school diploma and yearbook.
Delp’s personal vinyl record collection, including albums by Led Zeppelin, Cheap Trick, Queen and his beloved Beatles, also is for sale.
