Sammy Hagar has been making music for decades, and at this point, he probably could talk to anyone with ease. Some might even be too nervous to meet him. This is what happens when some people have the chance to meet their heroes.
The same happened to Hagar himself when he was still a member of the band Montrose. This was, of course, well before he took over for David Lee Roth with Van Halen, and before the Red Rocker began churning out songs such as "I Can't Drive 55."
Besides straightforward rockers like the last song, one reason Hagar was asked to play with Eddie and Alex Van Halen was that the singer had a way to add a meaningful element to slower tunes. Roth wasn't made for such tracks, and Hagar gave the band more versatility.
Sammy Hagar names an unexpected influence on his vocal style
Was the group better? That's up to you, but Eddie and Alex thought so.
But Sammy Hagar took his influence from the blues-rock singers who came before him. There is a bit of Robert Plant to his voice, maybe, but there is also more than a hint of a rasp. While he doesn't sound exactly like Rod Stewart, he might try to at times.
When Hagar was in Montrose, he had the chance to meet Sir Rod at a festival Hagar's band was playing, and the Red Rocker couldn't do it. He was far too nervous.
In a series called Storytime with Sammy in 2023, Hagar talked about being a fanboy of Stewart and the potential meeting. Not only was Stewart a fantastic performer, but he was simply too charismatic, according to Hagar.
The former Van Halen frontman said, "I just remember I was always a Rod Stewart fan when I first started Montrose. I was playing in Europe, Montrose was on tour, and the Doobie Brothers were headlining Montrose’s opening. And in walks Rod Stewart in a yellow suit, shiny hair all spiked up. (He) looked like the most charismatic superstar on the planet. I couldn’t even go up and introduce myself."
It is odd at times when people find their heroes. When one of our own favorites mentions an unexpected name, that makes learning about both even better. Sammy Hagar and Rod Stewart might make different kinds of music, but they have more in common than most might have thought.