The "Frampton's Farewell Tour" Story

It was an ordinary day.  At times my days seem to all blend together.  Some days seem to be in slow motion.  Often think - Was it always this way?  Nah...I used to have unlimited energy which was needed when you are raising three children.  But, age seems to have caught up with me!  But, I find I am not the only one who has that problem.  Yesterday I read that a favorite musician of mine, Peter Frampton, announced that his coming tour would most likely will be his last.  Geeze, he's only 68...a youngster to me.  But then I began to read more and read that he plans to issue a double album this summer and then go on tour for about 50 dates across the country.  And...that may be it!  

Peter Frampton

He revealed that he has a medical condition that could slow his fingers and his ability to move around.  It was back in 1977, a year after Peter Frampton released his double-album "Frampton Comes Alive!" that he visited the high school where I taught to hold a practice before heading on another tour.  Seems he was working with the new Clair Bros. Audio who call Lancaster County home, and they contacted the school to see if they could supply him with practice space.  The assistant principal was a friend of the Clair brothers so they were given time in our auditorium.  Just so happened that the high school yearbook, that I was the advisor of, had a theme of music that year.  We naturally had to get a photo of Peter Frampton during practice for the cover of the yearbook.  

The cover of the 1977 school yearbook
which featured Peter Frampton live during
a practice session at Manheim Township
High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
We also added a ticket stub similar to a
real one.  Looked great!  Thanks, Peter!

I notified our professional yearbook photographer and he took some of the neatest photos to chose one from for the cover.  He rushed home, developed the film and made a few prints and was back before the end of practice.  Peter signed one of the photos which we used on the cover of the yearbook.  What was the best part of the experience was that Peter approached me and asked if he could buy a copy of the yearbook for each member of the band!  Unbelievable experience for myself and my yearbook staff.  Peter Frampton now has a degenerative muscle disease called inclusion body myositis, also known as I.B.M.  The disease causes muscles to weaken over time but generally does not affect life expectancy.  The condition doesn't affect his singing voice, but could slow his fingers and his ability to move around.  Frampton told Rolling Stone recently that in a year's time he might not be able to play his guitar anymore.  He also said that he wanted to record as much as he can in the shortest space of time.  It was 52 years ago that Frampton became the lead singer and guitarist for "The Herd."  Two years later he co-founded "Humble Pie."  His release in '76 of "Frampton Comes Alive!" made him a legend.  He said recently that "Maybe a huge door is closing in my life, but then there's lots of other doors that open."  Good attitude which will be needed to accomplish all that he has planned in the near future.  I wish him the best.  I know what life can be like when you can't do what you want to do or what you used to be able to do.  Not much fun!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.