The Who Frontman Roger Daltrey Says He’s Going Blind & Deaf

Baila Eve ZismanMarch 31, 2025, 4:02 pmHomepage Slider, News >

Roger Daltrey, lead singer for The Who, shared unfortunate medical news with a crowd of fans in London over the weekend.

The Who, which includes singer Daltrey and singer-guitarist Pete Townsend, was formed in 1964 alongside former members drummer Keith Moon, who died at 32 in 1978, and bassist John Entwistle, who died at 57 in 2002. Daltrey and Townsend have continued to tour as The Who over the years, performing the band’s classic songs such as “I Can See For Miles” and “Pinball Wizard.”

Last month, Townsend made headlines when he spoke about his past relationships with men.

While playing a show at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, Daltrey, 81, told the crowd, “The joys of getting old mean you go deaf; I also now have got the joy of going blind. Fortunately, I still have my voice because then I’ll have a full Tommy.”

Daltrey was referencing The Who’s iconic rock song “Pinball Wizard” from their rock opera Tommy, in which the titular main character is deaf, blind, mute, and yet an expert Pinball player. The song was famously covered by Elton John in 1975 for the Ken Russell film adaptation of Tommy.

Daltrey did not provide further details regarding his steadily worsening eyesight. As he alluded to in his announcement on Saturday, his deteriorating vision comes in addition to hearing problems. At a 2018 solo show, Daltrey told the crowd he has gone “very, very deaf” and audience members should “Take your f—ing earplugs with you to the gigs.”

The Who has always been known for their extremely loud concerts. On March 31, 1976, the band broke the Guinness World Record for sound, hitting 126 decibels at the Valley Stadium in Charlton, London.

Townsend also cracked jokes at the concert about his old age, saying of his knee replacement, “Maybe I should auction off the old one. Elton John had one done, and he wears it as a bracelet. Unfortunately, mine’s in three bits.”

The Who reportedly announced that 2025 will be their last year touring. However, they assured that they would continue to perform at the charity concert Teenage Cancer Trust, where they have been musical guests since the organization’s first concert in 2000.

In their 60 years as a band, The Who has sold over 43 million albums worldwide. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990.