Leslie West Mountain & Joe Lynn Turner Rainbow Guitarist

PETER BARON TRIBUTE TO PETER FRAMPTON

Let's start here ...

I first met Peter Frampton when he opened for Leslie West's Mountain. I was 17 and playing 2nd guitar with Leslie. I was still in high school and needless to say, it was quite an adventure going from church dances to baseball stadiums overnight.

After the tour's first leg was over, Peter wanted to meet me and walked into my rehearsal studio at Columbia/Windfall Records where I was rehearsing with my solo band. Frampton asked me to play guitar with him but asked if I could play keyboards too. Which, to this day, I still can’t - not well enough, lol! Peter asked me again a second time to play guitar with him when he was recording "The Art of Control.” He was looking to do something a bit heavier like Humble Pie, who I also had toured with. (Coincidentally, Steve Mariott of Humble Pie asked me about possibly taking Clem Clemson's place as Clem was leaving the band. However, that never materialized.)

I originally started this band with Frampton's bass player of 32 years and 12 albums, John Regan. I was introduced to John by engineer/producer Eddie Kramer [Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Kiss, “Frampton Comes Alive,” etc.] who was producing my album "Love Valley" at the time. Unfortunately, John passed away suddenly right before playing our first show. John is surely missed and in his honor, the show must go on.

Peter and I were pretty good friends back then. I have many treasured, funny, and awesome memories owed to him. I was there at Electric Lady Studios when they were mixing "Frampton Comes Alive" with Peter and his engineer Frankie Daugusta, who also engineered Peter's album "I'm in You.” He was Peter's live sound engineer as well. Frankie has also worked on my 5 solo albums and is helping me with my Frampton tribute recordings and live sound! Also featured on my recorded versions of Peter's songs are drummer Tony Lazzara and keyboardist Paul Morris [Rainbow / Trans-Siberian Orchestra].

Now, how cool is it to have both Frampton's bass player and his former studio/live sound engineer working with me on the recordings for this tribute? It is truly a great honor to have them! Peter knows I'm doing this and we are looking to make him proud! So, if you see us playing in your neck of the woods, please come and say Hi!!!!

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