Drummer Kenny Aronoff Steps In To Save Sammy Hagar’s Best Of All Worlds Tour

Drummer Jason Bonham departed Sammy Hagar‘s The Best Of All Worlds Tour on Tuesday to attend to an unspecified family matter in England. The legendary Kenny Aronoff, whose unparalleled resume includes recording and performing with the likes of John Mellencamp, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge and Smashing Pumpkins, “saved the day” by filling the drum seat.

On The Best Of All Worlds Tour, Sammy Hagar has been joined by Bonham, guitarist Joe Satriani, bassist Michael Anthony and multi-instrumentalist Rai Thistlethwayte. Kenny Aronoff covered for Bonham on Tuesday in Cincinnati and last night in Nashville. Two shows remain on the summer run. It is unclear whether Aronoff will finish out the tour on drums or if Jason Bonham will return.

Sammy Hagar addressed the situation on Tuesday in Cincinnati. “Tonight I’m going to dedicate this to the Bonham family in England, hope everything works out OK over there, and to our brother Jason,” Hagar told the crowd during the intro to “Eagles Fly” as Ultimate Classic Rock reported.

Earlier in the show, the Red Rocker revealed Kenny Aronoff flew in at 6 a.m. that morning and spent the afternoon rehearsing with the band. “If it wasn’t for Kenny we would’ve cancelled.” After ending the night with a performance of Van Halen’s “When It’s Love,” Hagar showed love for “the man who saved the day, Kenny fucking Aronoff.”

Sammy Hagar, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani were familiar with Aronoff as he replaced Chad Smith as the drummer in their Chickenfoot project from 2011 to 2012. Chad Smith was forced to step away from touring with the band in those years due to his Red Hot Chili Peppers commitments. Smith was back behind the kit in 2016 on Chickenfoot’s most recent and perhaps final tour.

The Best Of All Worlds Tour setlists go heavy on Van Halen classics. Watch fan-shot footage from Tuesday and Wednesday’s shows below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M556CnG2oQc&pp=ygUNInNhbW15IGhhZ2FyIg%3D%3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhcd_pMh39o&pp=ygUNInNhbW15IGhhZ2FyIg%3D%3D