On this day (October 13) in 1947, Sammy Hagar was born in Salinas, California. He first found fame with Montrose in the 1970s. Then, he embarked on a solo career and had a huge hit with “I Can’t Drive 55.” In the mid-1980s, Hagar replaced David Lee Roth as Van Halen’s frontman and led the band into the most successful decade of their career.
When Hagar was young, his family lived in a Salinas labor camp, where they worked the fields with other migrant workers. Then, his father landed a job in Fontana. Even after moving away from the labor camp, his childhood wasn’t easy. His father was an abusive alcoholic who regularly spent the rent money on booze. As a result, the family moved often. Eventually, his mother left and took Sammy and his siblings with her.
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According to the Daily Bulletin, Hagar discovered music in high school and taught himself to play guitar. He knew he wanted out of Fontana and hoped music would be his ticket. He moved to Riverside, ran the music department at the ABC Store, and started joining local bands. He moved from Riverside to San Francisco and continued chasing his dream.
Things fell apart after members of Hagar’s band were arrested on drug charges. He, his new wife, and their baby moved to New York. There, he drove a dump truck for his father-in-law. Before long, though, they returned to the West Coast where he could pursue music full-time.
Sammy Hagar’s Otherworldly Guides
Sammy Hagar recalled the night that changed everything for him in his 2011 memoir. “I was lying in bed one night at the Anastasia Street place in Fontana, asleep, dreaming. I saw a ship and two creatures inside of this ship. I couldn’t see their faces,” he recalled. “They were connected to me, tapped into my mind through some kind of mysterious wireless connection.”
He consulted a psychic about the dream. They told him to go to San Francisco, where he would see his name in lights. He followed the advice and relocated once again. Session guitarist Ronnie Montrose saw him performing in a cover band and recruited him as the vocalist for his new band, Montrose.
Hagar was with the band for their first two albums. Then, he was fired from the band after tensions between him and Montrose boiled over during their 1974 European tour. Other former members of the band followed him when he embarked on his solo career in the late 1970s.
Hagar Goes Solo
After his time with Montrose ended, Sammy Hagar signed with Capitol Records and released his debut album, Nine on a Ten Scale, in 1976. He notched several hits on the mainstream rock charts, including “Two Sides of Love,” “Remember the Heroes,” “Your Love Is Driving Me Crazy,” and “I’ll Fall in Love Again.” However, his most popular solo recording is still “I Can’t Drive 55.”
Hagar continued to release solo music after he joined Van Halen in 1985. For instance, he scored a No. 1 single with “Give to Live” in 1987. He eventually put his solo work on hold until 1994, a couple of years before he and the band parted ways. Decades later, he’s still touring and releasing new material.
Sammy Hagar Joins Van Halen
Van Halen parted ways with David Lee Roth in 1985 and began looking for a replacement. Eddie Van Halen was a Montrose fan. So, the band invited Sammy Hagar to audition. They quickly hired him and began working on new material.
They released 5150, their first album with Hagar, in 1986. It was their first to reach the top of the Billboard 200. It was the first of four consecutive chart-topping albums for the band. The streak ended after Balance, their final Hagar-fronted LP.
Their singles also dominated the mainstream rock charts. “Black and Blue,” “When It’s Love,” “Poundcake,” “Top of the World,” and “Don’t Tell Me (What Love Can Do)” were all major hits.
Their 1992 album For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge brought the band their sole Grammy win for Best Hard Rock Performance.
In 2007, Hagar was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen.
Featured Image by Paul Natkin/Getty Images
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