The Red Rocker Sammy Hagar turns 75 years old today. It’s hard to imagine that Sammy Hagar is 75 because if you have heard his latest album or seen him recently in concert with his band the Circle, the man still sounds and acts like he is twenty five. We mean that with all the respect in the world. We have always loved Sammy Hagar. He is one of the most written-about artists on the site along with Led Zeppelin and Elton John. Just this morning I was listening to his new album and being blown away by how great the record is. The man just does not seem to age. While so many rockers around the same age as Sammy Hagar have long ago retired because they can’t sing or stand anymore, Sammy Hagar is still at the top of his game.
Why does Sammy Hagar still look and sound so good? It’s a simple answer…he loves what he does. If you wake up every morning looking forward to going to work and enjoying every minute of it, your probably going to live a happy life. Of course, being a hugely successful rock star and a phenomenally successful businessman doesn’t hurt either. In his book, Sammy Hagar explained that he made more money with the sale of his Cabo Wabo Tequilla to Gruppo Campari, than he had ever had as a rock star. The man made 80 million dollars on that sale alone. Between his work with Van Halen, his own solo albums and his constant touring Sammy Hagar is far above just being set. That’s going to make you relax and slow down those wrinkles. The man is self-made and earned everything from hard work and dedication. With all that success, turning 75 is a mighty celebration.
Sammy Hagar first made his mark in the rock and roll world as the lead singer of the band Montrose. His songs “Rock Candy” and “Bad Motor Scooter” became rock and roll favorites on the radio rather quickly. After two albums with Montrose, Sammy Hagar quit the band and began his career as the Red Rocker with a long line of great solo albums, From his second album called Sammy Hagar (Red) to Standing Hampton, Three Lock Box, and VOA Sammy Hagar developed a total following of fans that brought every record the man released. Anyone who saw Sammy Hagar in concert would become an instant fan as we did the night we saw him open for Boston in 1977.
As popular as Sammy Hagar was in the rock and roll world in the 70s and early 1980s, his stardom would rise to mass cultural levels when he replaced David Lee Roth as the lead singer in Van Halen. While there will always be Van Halen fans who preferred the DLR years, millions of rock and roll fans including us loved the Sammy Hagar Van Halen years as the group released a handful of smoking albums with Sammy Hagar. Eventually, the fusion of Sammy Hagar and the Van Halen brothers ended and Sammy Hagar would go back to being a solo rock and roll star.
While in Van Halen, Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony had become good friends and the two eventually started a new group called Chickenfoot many years after they had both ended their Van Halen run. Chickenfoot also featured the legendary Joe Satriani on guitar and the Red Hot Chili Peppers Chad Smith. In between bands, Sammy Hagar had also formed his band the Waboritas.
In 2014, Sammy Hagar formed the band that he still currently records and tours with in the present day called The Circle. Once again it’s Sammy Hagar and Michale Anthony together gain along with Michael Anthony, guitarist Vic Johnson, and drummer Jason Bonham who brings his heavy Led Zeppelin sound to the band. The group started out doing many covers but has since become a pretty serious band that just released a spectacular new album called Crazy Times that features all original songs with the exception of a cover of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up.” The album has become one of Sammy Hagar’s most successful albums of his career after having just wrapped up a mind-blowing summer tour….all at the age now of 75 years old. Happy Birthday, Sammy!
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Sammy Hagar Turns 75 Today And He Still Sounds Like 25 article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2022
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