(Credits: Far Out / Sammy Hagar)
Fri 2 January 2026 17:00, UK
Sammy Hagar has a rich track record of working with the most talented musicians of his era, and he has always made it a point to credit those who shaped his artistry.
Although he is best known as the vocalist for Van Halen’s second phase, the California native got his start in the business as a member of the hard rock outfit, Montrose. While his time with the group doesn’t typically receive much attention because he was only with them for two years and two albums, their self-titled debut in 1973 and its sequel the very next year, Paper Planes, these LPs immediately put him on the map and set him up for success.
Thus, his departure from the group marked the beginning of what would turn out to be an incredibly successful career in the commercial sector, which saw him become a superstar by the 1980s, and he has remained one ever since. However, that journey began with his first band, which allowed him the flexibility to come into his own and ultimately flourish, and, more specifically, founder and lead guitarist Ronnie Montrose believed in him when nobody else did, which the veteran singer never quite forgot.
The bulk of Hagar’s legacy is tied to his voice, so even a lot of his fans tend to forget that he has played the guitar for the entirety of his solo career, and though he has had the privilege of writing and performing with the most revered instrumentalists of all time, he still cites Montrose as the single greatest influence on his string work.
During a 2019 interview with Classic Rock, he reflected on his first push in the industry and the man who set him up for a future in the business.
“I thought he was the coolest guy on the frickin’ planet. And he was,” he said about meeting Montrose for the first time, “I got his number, and drove five miles in my battered truck and knocked on his door”.
During the mid-1970s, the late guitarist reached out to Hagar as the latter was still having a tough time finding work. They joined forces and kick-started their group soon after, splitting songwriting duties and even working together on some classic tunes such as ‘Rock Candy’, ‘Spaceage Sacrifice’ and ‘The Dreamer’. Still, they never got too close because Montrose was quite distant and would always avoid intimacy, with Hagar recalling how the troubled rockstar seemed reluctant to let his guard down and let others see that he was hurting, always finding a way to throw off serious conversations by talking about sex or bringing up other distractions.
Montrose took his own life after years of mental health struggles that he had mostly kept to himself over his 64 years. That being the case, Hagar was devastated but not really surprised when his former bandmate passed away the way he did, claiming that he never allowed anyone to help him, even in his darkest moments. However, despite his absence, the guitarist’s skill and technique have stayed with Hagar all these years later.
“I learned how to play that style of guitar,” he shared, while looking back at all the heroes he has teamed up with, “I played with Eddie Van Halen, I played with Neal Schon, I played with Joe Satriani; I don’t play anything like those guys. But I still play like Ronnie Montrose. He had that profound influence on me.”
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