Bob Mayo was born on February 25, 1951, in New York, USA, and became a highly respected keyboardist and guitarist in the music industry. He received his education in music and honed his skills, showcasing a remarkable talent that would later earn him recognition in the industry. He began studying music at the age of five, focusing on classical piano.
During the 1960s, Mayo’s interest in music grew due to the rock explosion. His first band was called Ramble and the Descendants, in which he played organ and sang. Mayo played with several other local bands and had plans to attend the Juilliard School in New York City. In 1971, Mayo formed Doc Holliday with Frank Carillo, Tom Arlotta, and Bob Liggio. He then joined Rat Race Choir (1973-74), playing guitar. He then left RRC, was replaced with Mark Hitt and teamed up with Peter Frampton and joined his touring band.
He contributed his keyboard and guitar prowess to some of Frampton’s most iconic albums. Notably, Mayo played a crucial role in the critically acclaimed “Frampton Comes Alive!” album, which became one of the best-selling live albums of all time. His skillful playing and contributions to tracks like
“Do You Feel Like We Do” and “Show Me the Way” played a key role in the success of the album. 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.
Albums With Frampton
- Frampton Comes Alive! (1976)
- I’m in You (1977)
- Where I Should Be (1979)
- Rise Up (1980)
- Peter Frampton (1994)
- Frampton Comes Alive! II (1995)
- Live in Detroit (2000)
- Now (2003)
- Live in San Francisco March 24, 1975 (2004)
I’ve always loved to play live. And it helps that [I have] such a great band, I don’t have to put a band together every year to tour. Bob’s been with me since before Comes Alive. John Regan’s been on bass since 1979. So if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. It’s like a club more than a band. If any one of the band members isn’t available, I don’t look for someone else. [We have] an unwritten telepathic thing that goes on after awhile.
Peter Frampton
Other Albums
- 4 (1981) – Foreigner
- Agent Provocateur (1984) – Foreigner
- There Goes the Neighborhood (1981) – Joe Walsh
- Plantation Harbor (1981) – Joe Vitale
- The Principle of Moments (1983) (2007 reissue) – Robert Plant
- Change of Season (1990) – Daryl Hall and John Oates
- In the Line of Fire (1990) – Robin Trower
- The Prodigal Stranger (1991) (lead guitar on unreleased track “Into the Flood”) – Procol Harum
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.
Peter Frampton
Bob Mayo died suddenly of a heart attack Monday, February 23, 2023 while touring with Frampton in Basel, Switzerland. All remaining dates on the tour were canceled. He was 53. He is survived by fiancée Laurie Pellillo, stepdaughter Catherine Jacoby, sons Christopher and Gregory Mayo and sister Mary Jo Mayo.
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia “Bob Mayo” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Mayo
- Rolling Stone “Frampton Sideman Mayo Dies” https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/frampton-sideman-mayo-dies-105623/
- Billboard “Frampton Collaborator Bob Mayo Dies” https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/frampton-collaborator-bob-mayo-dies-1443896/
