John Mayer Discusses Joining Already Legendary Band During Sammy Hagar’s Hollywood Walk Of Fame Ceremony

The “Red Rocker” Sammy Hagar received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday. John Mayer was among the speakers to honor the guitarist, singer-songwriter and former Van Halen frontman.

Hagar first came to prominence in the 1970s with the band Montrose. He then set out on a successful solo career and had a massive hit in 1984 with one of his signature songs, “I Can’t Drive 55.” The next year he stepped into the role of Van Halen frontman, assuming the job from David Lee Roth.

As someone who also stepped into a legendary outfit, the Grateful Dead offshoot Dead & Company, Mayer and Hagar met and bonded when the former was first rehearsing with Dead & Company. Read an excerpt from John’s speech:

“I first met Sammy in 2015 during rehearsals for the Dead & Company tour. Sammy’s studio is down the street from Bob Weir’s, who is in the Dead, and so he and Bob were already good friends. I remember the first day we met when Sammy came to visit the rehearsal during a break. I sat down at the piano and started playing “Dreams” from [Van Halen’s] 5150 album and Sammy sat down next to me [and] started singing the tune along with me — the first time we had ever met.

“And it was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life. From there we were off and running as friends. I think Sammy understood my nervousness about joining an already established legendary rock band and he was incredibly supportive of me. It’s not easy stepping into a position that the audience isn’t quite ready to accept and Sammy knew that.”

Check out John Mayer’s full speech during Sammy Hagar’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony below: