It’s been a quieter summer festival season this year without the velvet vocals and smooth tones of Dominic Tocco and Brotherhood.
A throat cancer diagnosis for the band’s front man muted the long-time Mahoning Valley entertainment mainstay.
This year’s Brier Hill Italian Festival marks the first in its history that won’t feature the band on its stage.
But Tocco looks forward to a return to performing soon. He just wrapped up his treatment after 35 radiation and seven chemotherapy sessions.
“So far everything looks pretty good,” he said. “They stayed away from my vocal cords so that’s a good thing.”
A little more time will allow his immune system to build back up.
“Some of the promoters are planning a comeback show around the holidays maybe,” he said.
Dominic Tocco & Brotherhood got together 61 years ago, starting when its members were high school students in the 1960s. They started performing at small events including bar mitzvahs to put themselves through college. The venues grew to outdoor events, parties and private engagements.
He attributes the band’s longevity and wide appeal to their varied playlists.
“We try to keep up with all the newest music and the variety is what I think keeps us going,” Tocco said.
He prides himself on the band being able to perform to the audience’s preferences.
Last February, Tocco suffered from a recurring sore throat. He got an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic where doctors found a growth. He traveled to the clinic daily for treatments.
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Tocco never smoked, always taking meticulous care to protect his voice. His doctors point to second-hand smoke as the cancer’s cause. Prior to smoking bans enacted in the 2000s, people smoked liberally in the clubs and other settings where the band performed.
He’s touched by the outpouring of support and well wishes from fans who have been sending cards and letters and writing on the band’s Facebook page during his illness.
“It’s humbling,” Tocco said.
Pictures Courtesy of Dominic Tocco
