Steve Miller Band Member Diagnosed With Cancer

by admin on Sep.17, 2009, under News

Norton Buffalo, a singer-songwriter and a harmonica player for the Steve Miller Band since 1975, has revealed that he is suffering from Pneumonia and Stage 4 Lung Cancer which has spread to his brain. Writing about the situation from his hospital bed, the 57-year-old says that despite the fun of playing on the band’s summer tour, he was having trouble breathing and ultimately sought the assistance of his personal doctor, who mistakenly told him his lungs sounded fine.

“I thought that I was developing some kind of asthma, with shortness of breath, wheezing and other asthma like symptoms,” Buffalo wrote. “All of this was of course affecting both my harmonica playing and my singing as it seemed that there just wasn’t enough air on the planet for what I was trying to do. As I was having such a challenging time breathing when the shows were over, I was just whooped to the core, could no longer rest comfortably on my right side and was basically miserable.”

As his condition worsened, Buffalo sought out a specialist. “I spent several hours on the computer and phone, seeking out a pulmonary doctor who would see me. I found a great doctor, and he, very easily, diagnosed that I had pneumonia … and that I had probably had it for the entire summer tour,” he said. “I was prescribed a course of antibiotics and considering that we only had 7 shows to go … and I’d already made it through the whole summer, that I would tough it out till the tour was finished. The shows went about the same still hard to breath.”

After the band’s Boston area date, Buffalo reveals he had serious coughing spasms that sent him the Emergency Room. Then on Sept. 2, he learned he had cancer in his lower right lung, which has been diagnosed as a Stage 4 Adenocarcinoma of the right lower lobe. The following day an MRI revealed it is also in his brain.

As a result, Buffalo said, “I have unfortunately had to cancel my tour to Germany and all future concerts and commitments due to my health concerns. We may be able to reschedule for a later date, but for now I’m home in the USA.”

In addition to playing with Steve Miller, Buffalo recorded several albums with the Stampede and guitarist Roy Rogers, appeared in several movies and worked with artists such as Commander Cody, Elvin Bishop, Bonnie Raitt, the Doobie Brothers, Mickey Hart and more.