You don’t often think of a musician being — let’s just say bullied — into becoming a teen idol.
Yet when Peter Frampton tells you about his early career, that’s what happened. After spending countless hours honing his guitar wizardry, it was his flowing blond hair and chiseled features that initially won him worldwide recognition. That was a disappointment to Frampton whose early musical accomplishments included co-founding Humble Pie when he was only a teen.
“When I started very early on in life, I got noticed because I was ahead of my years when I was playing guitar,” said Frampton in a past interview with the Examiner. “I got into these bands not because of my singing — I didn’t want to sing, I wanted to play guitar. I told [record industry executives] ‘These [other band members] are the singers. I play guitar.’ And [the industry executives] said ‘No, you are the singer.”
| Onstage |
| Peter Frampton |
| When: 8 p.m. Sunday |
| Where: Warner Theatre, 1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW |
| Info: $45 to $99; ticketmaster.com; 202-397-SEAT |
Not that Frampton is complaining about the fame that came with his best-selling 1976 double album “Frampton Comes Alive.” The album, one of the top selling live albums of all time, is still so widely loved that he has just extended a major tour celebrating its 35 anniversary.
His record company has issued a special package — the “Frampton Comes Alive — Deluxe Edition.” One of the bonuses is a cover of “Do You Feel Like We Do,” played by guitar wizard Warren Haynes.
The Frampton concerts on the tour are also captured live on CD and available for sale — fully mixed — at the venues in which Frampton plays.
In a way the past five years have been a true turning point for Frampton.
The catalyst arrived in 2007 when he snared his first Grammy for the pop instrumental album “Fingertips.” At the time, Frampton said winning the award was a major milestone for him because it was one of his first musical successes that had nothing to do with the powerhouse “Alive” album.
“[‘Fingertips’] isn’t a huge selling album. It never will be. It’s a catalog piece,” said Frampton. “But it got noticed by the Grammy voters for being something they appreciated. I got a pat on the back for my guitar work.”
Although Frampton’s concerts have always been full musical feasts — with him playing his biggest hits with gusto — the past few years have seemed to allow him to reconcile his somewhat divided musical life of arena rocker and guitar virtuoso.
And he fully credits “Alive” with that success.
“Comes Alive has taken my music through generations,” he said noting that when he looks into his audiences he sees up to four generations enjoying his music. “I am thrilled about that.”
