Chad Perrone has been a figure in the Boston music scene for the better part of two decades now, bringing his patent brand of soaring pop rock to stages across the region both as solo performer and as part of a band. In the early 2000s, he made a name for himself fronting the group Averi, which released two albums and shared the stage with the likes of Matchbox Twenty, Goo Goo Dolls, Sting, Guster, Barenaked Ladies, Hanson, Gavin DeGraw, and even the Backstreet Boys.
Since then, Perrone has carved out a niche for himself as an independent solo artist, releasing four acclaimed records under his own name. His most recent work, 2014's Kaleidoscope, was made possible by a global PledgeMusic campaign, which saw 282 pledgers helping Perrone surpass his funding goal. The album earned a 9.5 out of 10 from AbsolutePunk.net, who praised Perrone as "arguably the single best-kept secret in the entire music industry." Chad's other solo LPs—2006's Used to Dream, 2008's Wake, and 2010's Release—have received considerable acclaim as well, from publications such as AlternativeAddiction.com, Blast Magazine, the UK's Inner Ear Media.
Perrone's solo career has afforded him the opportunity to plumb the depths of personal emotions. Release saw him coming to terms with the loss of youth and the pressures of adulthood, while Kaleidoscope found him picking up the pieces of a fractured relationship. His songs speak to the common struggles of the heart, a fact that has allowed audiences and fellow artists alike to connect with his work on a uniquely visceral level. Perrone's emotive tenor voice only adds to the experience, the perfect instrument to convey the passion and hurt that flows through so many of his songs.
It's that voice that has kept Perrone a local favorite in the Boston scene after all these years. Though not as frequent as they once were, Perrone's appearances on local stages still draw capacity crowds and exuberant responses from audiences. A five-time Boston Music Award-nominee, Chad has become his own institution in the Massachusetts live music community. Why is his fanbase so fiercely loyal? Call it product of albums and songs that are never ephemeral or tossed off, but always enduring and delivered straight from the heart.
"Writing and recording have always been so very personal and therapeutic for me, and then performing live has always been such a wonderful, shared experience with others," Perrone says of his place in the Boston music scene. "I'm unsure how I got so lucky to have so many people still listen and support after all these years, but it means more than I'll ever be able to express with words. Some artists look at themselves as 'giving' something to the people who support their craft, but I've always felt the opposite. Music is the love of my life, and all the support that I've had over these years feels like a wonderful gift given to me. I don't know how long any of this will last, but I'm so grateful for everything I've been lucky enough to encounter so far."
Updated information, a list of upcoming performances, and where to hear music can be found at www.chadperronemusic.com, or via Chad's Facebook and Twitter profiles.
- Craig Manning - 2016