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Nuno Bettencourt grew up surrounded by music and love on Main Street in Hudson, Massachusetts. Cleaning WAAF studios as a teen, he dreamed of one day being on air — a dream that came true when he became lead guitarist for Extreme, the band that soared to fame in the ’80s and ’90s.

His success never erased his roots. Bettencourt’s first goal was to buy his mother a house, a promise he kept despite financial advice to the contrary. “I’ll go broke, but just get her the house,” he said.

His mother’s humility shaped him. When fans once showed up at their door, she invited them in for breakfast, telling him, “You are nothing without your fans.” Bettencourt still credits his family and hometown for his grounded perspective.

Beyond music, he was active in local youth soccer, and he jokes about Hudson’s rivalry with nearby Marlborough. Despite global fame and collaborations with legends like Prince, Ozzy Osbourne and Rihanna, Bettencourt returns home every Thanksgiving for the Turkey Jam at the Hudson Portuguese Club. “It’s the show I look forward to the most,” he said. “I’m really blessed to have grown up in Hudson — it was much better than Marlborough.”