What is Gary Cherone’s Net Worth?
Gary Cherone is an American singer and songwriter who has a net worth of $1.5 million. Gary Cherone serves as the lead vocalist of the hard rock band Extreme. He also served as the lead vocalist of Van Halen for three years in the 90s, and after that, formed the rock bands Tribe of Judah and Hurtsmile. Cherone also released a solo EP, entitled “Need I Say More,” in 2005.
In 1979 he formed the hard rock band Adrenalin which was later changed to The Dream and released an EP in 1981. Extreme formed in Boston, MA in 1985. Their self-titled debut studio album was released in 1989 on A&M Records. The band’s second album Extreme II: Pornograffitti was certified 2x Platinum and reached #10 on the Billboard 200 chart. Extreme’s third studio album III Sides to Every Story was released in 1992 and also reached #10 on the Billboard 200 chart and reached #2 in the UK. Their fourth album Waiting for the Punchline was released in 1995 and after the band reunited they released their latest album Saudades de Rock in 2008. Their most successful single “More Than Words” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached #1 in the Netherlands and #2 in the United Kingdom and Australia. Extreme has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide.
Cherone was the singer for Van Halen for their 11th album Van Halen III and the tour that followed. He has also released albums with Tribe of Judah, Cherone, and Hurtsmile.
Early Life
Gary Cherone was born on July 26, 1961 in Malden, Massachusetts. He has four brothers, including fraternal twin Greg. As a teenager, Cherone went to Malden High School and sang with a number of local bands. In 1979, he formed a hard rock band called Adrenalin with his friends Paul Geary and Matt McKay. A couple years later, they renamed the group the Dream and recorded an independent EP.
Extreme
In 1985, Cherone and Geary got into an altercation with bassist Pat Badger and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt over a dressing room. Ultimately, the conflict proved fortuitous, as the four men soon became friends and collaborators. They subsequently formed the rock band Extreme in Boston, Massachusetts. There, the band accumulated a considerable following before signing with A&M Records in 1987. Extreme went on to release its self-titled debut album in 1989. The year after that, the group had its breakthrough with the album “Extreme II: Pornograffitti,” which made it to number ten on the Billboard 200 and launched the hit singles “More Than Words” and “Hole Hearted.” In 1992, Extreme continued its success with “III Sides to Every Story,” the final album to fully feature the group’s original lineup. That same year, Extreme performed a medley of hit songs by Queen at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium in London. The band released its fourth album, “Waiting for the Punchline,” in 1995. Following a tour in support of the album, Nuno Bettencourt left to embark on a solo career, and Extreme disbanded in 1996.
Eight years after going their separate ways, the members of Extreme reunited for some concerts in New England. Eventually, in 2008, the band released its fifth studio album and first in 13 years, called “Saudades de Rock.” The album was the first to feature new Extreme drummer Kevin Figueiredo. Later, in 2016, the group released “Pornograffitti Live 25: Metal Meltdown,” a recording of its anniversary concert at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas from the previous year.
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Van Halen
After Extreme disbanded in 1996, Cherone became the lead vocalist of the rock band Van Halen, which had just lost its lead singer Sammy Hagar during a major falling out. Cherone went on to write and record his first album with the band, “Van Halen III,” which came out in 1998. Debuting at number four on the Billboard 200, the album represented a significant departure from Van Halen’s earlier arena rock sound, as it featured longer and more lyrically complex songs. Although it was commercially successful, the album did not perform as strongly as the band’s previous releases; however, it did spawn the hit single “Without You,” and was supported by a well-received tour.
Van Halen planned to release its next album in 1999. Ultimately, the plan was stymied by its label Warner Records, which kept sending back the album due to its lack of a discernible “hit” song. Cherone was so vexed by the repeated rejections that he left Van Halen on amicable terms.
Other Music Projects
Following his departure from Van Halen, Cherone formed a new rock band, Tribe of Judah, with his fellow Extreme bandmates Pat Badger and Mike Mangini. The band also included keyboardist Steve Ferlazzo and guitarist Leo Mellace. Tribe of Judah released the EP “East of Paradise” in 2001 and the studio album “Exit Elvis” in 2002; the group then disbanded in 2003. Two years later, Cherone released a solo EP entitled “Need I Say More.”
Among his other music projects, Cherone partnered with his brother Markus to create SlipKid, a tribute band to the classic rock group the Who; the band also features Extreme bassist Paul Mangone. SlipKid performs regularly in the Boston area, and also tours occasionally. Also with his brother Markus, Cherone formed the band Hurtsmile, which released its self-titled debut studio album in 2011. Its follow-up album, “Retro Grenade,” came out in 2014. Hurtsmile features Dana Spellman on drums and Joe Pessia on the bass and mandolin.