Bob Mayo, longtime guitarist and keyboard player in Peter Frampton’s band, died suddenly of a heart attack Monday (Feb. 23) in Basel, Switzerland. He was 53. Mayo was on tour with Frampton on a European itinerary that had started last Friday in London at Shepherd’s Bush Empire. All remaining dates on the tour have been canceled.
Mayo, a keyboard player, guitarist, vocalist, producer and songwriter, had worked with Frampton since 1975, playing guitar and singing on the multi-million-selling 1976 album “Frampton Comes Alive.” After subsequent session work, Mayo toured with Foreigner, Aerosmith and Robert Plant, then in 1988 joined longtime friends Mark Rivera and Tom “T-Bone” Wolk to perform with Daryl Hall and John Oates.
Among Mayo’s other recording credits, he played on Foreigner’s “4” and “Agent Provocateur” albums, released in 1981 and 1984 respectively. He also contributed to Joe Walsh’s “There Goes the Neighborhood” (1981), Ian Hunter’s “All of the Good Ones Are Taken” (1983) and Hall & Oates’ “Change of Season” (1990).
Mayo reunited with Frampton in 1992 for live and recording work, and played on the English guitarist’s album “Now,” released on the Framptone label last year. “This band is a phenomenal band,” Frampton told Billboard last September. “We’ve been together so long, and we’re a big four-piece. Hats off to the guys.”
In a statement issued following Mayo’s death, Frampton adds: “Bob was like a brother to me. I will miss him a great deal. I have lost a close personal friend and a talented, professional and outstanding musician. My heartfelt condolences to his family.”
Mayo is survived by fiancée Laurie Pellillo, stepdaughter Catherine Jacoby, sons Christopher and Gregory Mayo and sister Mary Jo Mayo. Services will be private, with details and charitable donation information to be made available soon.
