“I’ve adapted, and I’m still playing pretty good! I’m loving it”: Peter Frampton says he has no plans to retire from touring

After nearly 60 years in the game, one would forgive Peter Frampton for wanting to hang up his guitar and quit touring for good.

Back in 2019, the guitarist announced his retirement from touring after being diagnosed with inclusion body myositis (IBM), a progressive muscle disorder leading to muscle inflammation, weakness and atrophy.

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Frampton played a farewell tour – dubbed Peter Frampton Finale – the Farewell Tour – between June and October 2019. He intended to play more shows in May 2020, though these were cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, and later put on in late 2022. He played these shows seated due to progression of his disease.

And in a somewhat unexpected move, Frampton launched a tour this year titled Never Say Never, referring to how he thought he’d have to call it quits years ago.

In a new interview with 93.3 WMMR, Frampton reflects on his decision to continue hitting the road, despite his previous assertion that he’d have to hang up his six-string for good.

“I made a deal with myself that if I can’t play at the top of my game, I don’t want to play and disappoint people,” he says. “Well… I have to play! So things have changed; my hands are affected by my muscle disease. But I’ve adapted, and I’m still playing pretty good! So I’m loving it.”

Frampton performed alongside Sheryl Crow and Stevie Nicks at the recent 2023 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, offering a blazing solo to Crow’s Every Day is a Winding Road.

On whether he expects to be inducted into the Rock Hall one day, the guitarist continues: “Things have turned out really well for me which I never thought would happen. I worked my ass off, that’s why I think I managed to turn things around.

“I didn’t get a Grammy until [2007, Best Pop Instrumental Album for Fingerprints], and it was (not for) singing, it was for an instrumental record. I was so thrilled it was about my music, and not about my looks or my voice or anything…

“So, to actually be asked here, just to be in the room with Sheryl is an honour. Everything is gravy for me now… I don’t expect anything, and I’m very thrilled when I do get something, an award, I’m always very, very appreciative.”