Gary Cherone is a famous rock singer and songwriter from the United States. He is well-known for his work as the main singer of the Boston-based rock bands Extreme and Van Halen. Gary Cherone’s career in the music industry saw him work relentlessly through every ups and downs.
In 1999, Gary left his band Van Halen, and his career has been quite different ever since. So, if you’re eager to find out how the popular singer is doing now that he’s quit the band, you have come to the right place. Keep reading this insightful post to learn more information about Gary Cherone.
Grew Up In Massachusetts
Gary Cherone was born Gary Francis Caine Cherone on July 26, 1961, in Malden, Massachusetts. The smaller identical twin of Greg Cherone grew up along with three elder brothers, Steven Cherone, Michael Cherone, and Markus Cherone. Furthermore, Gary was brought up by his parents, Sam Cherone and Josephina Cherone.
The talented singer was drawn to sports as a child and wanted to play basketball professionally. But, unfortunately, a severe knee injury crushed those hopes. He then switched to his second love, music, which ultimately guided him throughout his life.
In his adolescent years, Gary Cherone’s career began after he started singing in local bands and was strongly affected by the greatest rock frontmen of those days, particularly Freddie Mercury of Queen, Roger Daltrey of The Who, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.
Cherone, his drummer buddy Paul Geary, and guitarist Matt McKay created the hard-rock group Adrenalin in 1979 and began performing locally. They released a six-song independent vinyl EP in 1981 and renamed the group The Dream.
Gary Cherone Van Halen
Gary Cherone’s career with the band Van Halen started in 1996. He became a member of the Van Halen band after their lead vocalist Sammy Hagar left the group in 1996. Following Hagar’s departure, the band reunited with David Lee Roth, but it was a failed attempt. After Cherone entered the band, he spent the following year writing and recording Van Halen III, a new studio album released on March 17, 1998.
Although the album debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, it did not achieve double platinum as per their expectations. Then, Van Halen began working on their next album, which was rejected by Warner Bros. twice. Gary was frustrated by this, and he ended his Journey with the band on November 5, 1999. After all, over three years of continuous criticism and disapproval would undoubtedly grind down even the toughest men.
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Gary Cherone’s Career After Leaving Van Halen
After leaving Van Halen, Cherone moved back to Boston and started working on the band Tribe of Judah. The group performed at various events in the Boston vicinity and put out the Exit Elvis CD on Spitfire Records. In addition, he occasionally performed as a special guest with Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony, Nuno Bettencourt, and the Boston Rock Opera.
Gary released a four-song sampling CD, Need I Say More, in 2005, written and produced by Leo Mellace and Steve Catizone. Jeff Yurek recorded the album at Sanctum Sound in Boston, Massachusetts, and Carl Nappa edited them.
The 61-year-old participated in three performances of Amazing Journey in 2006, a tribute to The Who put together by former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy. Van Halen received their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2007. However, Gary’s three-year affiliation with the group did not qualify him for induction as a band member.
Similarly, Frank Zappa is another iconic American singer who was married to his lovely wife, Gail Zappa.
Where Is Gary Now?
Gary Cherone currently resides in the United States and is not as active in the music industry as he once was. The artist may currently be enjoying life away from music and celebrity status. Besides, after Gary Cherone’s career in Van Halen ended, he started a new band named Hurts Mile in 2007 with his guitarist brother Markus Cherone, bass player Joe Pessia, and drummer Dana Spellman.
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The band went on tour to support their self-titled debut album, which was released at the beginning of 2011. Retro Grenade, their second album, was launched in 2014. Moreover, the group recorded Pornograffitti Live 25: Metal Meltdown in 2016, an audio/visual portrayal of its 2015 performance at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas.
All in All, Gary Cherone has had a successful musical career marked by positive public perception, fan affection, and support. He has participated in numerous major music festivals and must be living a good life. Nevertheless, Gary Cherone has our best wishes for success in all his endeavors.
