Jason Bonham has revealed he won’t be returning to Sammy Hagar’s band for future Best of All Worlds tour dates – and made it clear he was disappointed by the situation.
Bonham’s Instagram post announced the latest tour dates for his Led Zeppelin Evening band, running from Nov. 19 to Dec. 16. Asked by a follower when he’d return to Hagar, the drummer replied: “Sammy has decided to carry on with Kenny; so sadly, no.”
Bonham has spent the past decade as the drummer for Sammy Hagar and the Circle, appearing on three studio albums in the last five years. He began this summer’s Van Halen-celebrating Best of All Worlds tour alongside Hagar, Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani, but was forced to exit near the end of the tour due to a family health emergency.
“It was truly difficult to step away from the Best of All Worlds tour with only four shows left,” he explained. “The energy, the connections and the experiences were nothing short of incredible, but my priority had to be with my mother during her fight for life.”
Hagar reported in September that Bonham had tried to keep working after his mom suffered a stroke, but the musicians both finally agreed that he had to be with her. Longtime John Mellencamp drummer Kenny Aronoff, who briefly performed alongside Hagar, Anthony and Satriani in Chickenfoot, stepped in on short notice to help complete the tour.
Why Sammy Hagar Loves Playing with Kenny Aronoff
“So we told Kenny,” Hagar continued. “[H]e had about 24-hour notice, and he came in [for] the first night… at six in the morning. We played that night in Cincinnati, and he did a 90-percent perfect show. I swear to you, I make more mistakes every night than he did!”
He added that he’d be comfortable with Aronoff playing their Japan tour dates – which proved to be what happened. “I just love playing with him… he’s so enthusiastic,” Hagar said. “He’s the most enthusiastic guy – ‘Oh man, we’re gonna kill it! Oh, don’t worry about me!’ He’s like foaming at the mouth. He’s crazy!”
Earlier this week Hagar posted footage of himself and Anthony working in a recording studio. “The best of all worlds band, we are up to something,” he wrote, tagging Anthony, Satriani and Aronoff while promising new music and new shows.
Bonham also has European tour dates in 2025 with Black Country Communion, the heavy rock supergroup featuring Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa and Derek Sherinian.
Loverboy and Sammy Hagar Perform in Inglewood
Michael Anthony and Joe Satriani join the Red Rocker to celebrate Van Halen in Eddie’s hometown.
Gallery Credit: Alex Kluft, UCR
