Peter Frampton Currently On His Last Tour As He Battles Rare Degenerative Disease

Dec 03, 2019 by apost team

It all came to an end so close to where it had all started four decades ago. Peter Frampton, who was diagnosed with inclusion body myositis four years ago, a disease that will eventually cause him to no longer be able to play a guitar, decided to say goodbye to his fans with a farewell tour.

After opening it on June 18 in Tulsa, Okla., he entertained at emotional shows throughout the country before wrapping it up with the final goodbye, an Oct. 12 concert in Concord, Calif. Tears filled the Concord Pavilion as the last notes of his rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" were played, and he left the stage. That final concert was held just 45 miles from where the earliest tracks of his breakthrough album, "Frampton Comes Alive!" had been recorded.

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That live masterpiece, which was released in 1976, included performances at four shows, the first of which took place on June 16, 1975, at the Marin County Civic Center in San Rafael, Calif., while the second was just 20 miles to the south, in San Francisco's Winterland Ballroom. Other concert performances heard on that album took place in Commack and Plattsburgh, N.Y. His top songs from that album, "Show Me the Way," "Baby, I Love Your Way" and "Do You Feel Like We Do" all peaked in the top 12 of the Billboard Hot 100. Those three singles plus "I'm in You," which was released in the "I'm in You" album in 1977 and reached No. 2 on that list, were his greatest hits. Peter told People magazine that it was so appropriate for his career to come to an end in the Bay Area, where it had begun so many years ago.

He added that the crowds at every concert on the tour "were so encouraging and warm" and that these shows gave him an "extra kind of feeling" from the fans that he hadn't experienced before. He felt so loved every night and appreciated how so many of them flew from throughout the world to be at his last show in particular. Family members joined fans in supporting him on this 51-concert tour. These included his three former wives – Mary Lovett (1972-76), Barbara Gold (1983-93) and Tina Elfers (1996-2011) – and his children – Jade, Julian and Mia.

In fact, Julian even joined him onstage for the eight concerts that were scheduled for Californian venues. The crowds did not expect that pleasant surprise and roared when they realized what had happened and were so happy to have him onstage with his father. Peter later told People that one of the things that he most appreciates about his relationship with his son is that they are "on the same level musically" and that they have so much fun writing music together.

Some of Peter's favorite memories include playing at New York's Madison Square Garden, both during this farewell tour and after he had initially become a star in the 1970s. Another venue that holds a special place in his heart is the Forum in Inglewood, Calif. He often played there in the 1970s and was grateful to have one last show there on Oct. 5. He told People, "Those two places are so iconic."

Now his focus turns towards his health. Thankfully, the first thing that he told People when he was asked about that aspect of his life was, "I feel great." He added that working out five days every week has helped a bit. However, he has noticed it affecting his muscles some and knows that this will only continue. He's not sure how much longer he can play a guitar, but he's going to keep playing those beautiful chords for as long as he can.

Thankfully, as far as it relates to his love of music, his disease appears to be progressing more in his legs than in his arms and hands. In fact, he told People that he feels that his playing music is still at "100%." In December, he's going to visit Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to start a drug trial. It's expected to last nearly a year. If it doesn't work as effectively as hoped, Peter said that "I'll try the next drug, whatever it is" and that he'll keep fighting this.

He had originally realized something was wrong in or around 2012 when he was on a hike and noticed that he was struggling much more than was expected. After initially attributing it to him getting older – he was around 62 at the time – it progressed enough in the following years, even resulting in a fall on stage, for him to go get it diagnosed as it no longer appeared to simply be related to his age. But he is so grateful that he was able to have this last tour before he could no longer play. He ended his interview with People with this touching quote, talking about when he finally stepped off of the stage for the final time. "We didn't want it to end. The audience didn't want it to end, and we didn't want it to end."

Have you seen Peter Frampton perform? Were you fortunate enough to be at one of these shows on his farewell tour?