Sammy Hagar on his final phone call with late bandmate Eddie Van Halen: ‘It was a beautiful thing’

Grammy winner Sammy Hagar reconnected with his late, great bandmate Eddie Van Halen before he passed away, age 65, on October 6 following a decade-long battle with cancer.

The 73-year-old singer-guitarist famously replaced Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth from 1985–1996 and then reunited with the rock band from 2003–2005 before Eddie ‘broke my heart.’

After Sammy’s desperate calls to Van Halen’s brother, manager, and friends went unreturned – comedian George Lopez contacted Hagar.  

Grammy winner Sammy Hagar (L) reconnected with his late, great bandmate Eddie Van Halen (R) before he passed away, age 65, on October 6 following a decade-long battle with cancer

‘George is a dear friend and he was Eddie’s friend and he said, “Sammy, Eddie’s in bad shape, he loves you brother, you need to reach out,” The Circle frontman told Variety on Saturday.

‘I said, “Give me his f***ing number and I’ll make sure I call him.”‘

The 59-year-old Grammy nominee met the Amsterdam-born, Pasadena-raised guitarist in 2011, and they played golf weekly before Eddie gifted George one of his Frankenstrat guitars in 2016.    

Bad blood: The 73-year-old singer-guitarist famously replaced Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth from 1985–1996 and then reunited with the rock band from 2003–2005 before Eddie 'broke my heart' (pictured in 1988)

Bad blood: The 73-year-old singer-guitarist famously replaced Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth from 1985–1996 and then reunited with the rock band from 2003–2005 before Eddie ‘broke my heart’ (pictured in 1988)

Changed his number: After Sammy's desperate calls to Van Halen's brother, manager, and friends went unreturned - comedian George Lopez contacted Hagar (pictured in 2004)

Changed his number: After Sammy’s desperate calls to Van Halen’s brother, manager, and friends went unreturned – comedian George Lopez contacted Hagar (pictured in 2004)

‘I said, “Why don’t you respond? I’ve been reaching out,”‘ the Rock & Roll Road Trip host asked Van Halen.

‘And Ed said, “Why didn’t you call me? Don’t f***ing call my brother, f***ing call me!” And I said, “I love you man,” and it was like, boom, we were good. It was a beautiful thing.’

Sammy also confirmed rumors that Van Halen was planning a group reunion tour before the Grammy winner’s health took a turn for the worse. 

The Circle frontman told Variety on Saturday: 'George (L, pictured in 2019) is a dear friend and he was Eddie's (R) friend and he said, "Sammy, Eddie's in bad shape, he loves you brother, you need to reach out." I said, "Give me his f***ing number and I'll make sure I call him"'

The Circle frontman told Variety on Saturday: ‘George (L, pictured in 2019) is a dear friend and he was Eddie’s (R) friend and he said, “Sammy, Eddie’s in bad shape, he loves you brother, you need to reach out.” I said, “Give me his f***ing number and I’ll make sure I call him”‘

Odd couple: The 59-year-old Grammy nominee (L) met the Amsterdam-born, Pasadena-raised guitarist (R) in 2011, and they played golf weekly before Eddie gifted George one of his Frankenstrat guitars in 2016 (pictured in 2017)

Odd couple: The 59-year-old Grammy nominee (L) met the Amsterdam-born, Pasadena-raised guitarist (R) in 2011, and they played golf weekly before Eddie gifted George one of his Frankenstrat guitars in 2016 (pictured in 2017)

‘I’ve been pushing for that for 10 years,’ Hagar noted.

‘And put [any differences] aside. Let’s go give the fans the biggest band in the world, you know what I mean? You don’t get bigger than Van Halen, and the fans deserve to see it all, hear every song.’

‘The Red Rocker’ has been hard at work promoting Santo Tequila with co-founder Guy Fieri and he’s recording his 19th studio album, Lockdown 2020, due out next year.

The Rock & Roll Road Trip host asked Van Halen: 'I said, "Why don't you respond? I've been reaching out." And Ed said, "Why didn't you call me? Don't f***ing call my brother, f***ing call me!" And I said, "I love you man," and it was like, boom, we were good. It was a beautiful thing' (pictured in 1987)

The Rock & Roll Road Trip host asked Van Halen: ‘I said, “Why don’t you respond? I’ve been reaching out.” And Ed said, “Why didn’t you call me? Don’t f***ing call my brother, f***ing call me!” And I said, “I love you man,” and it was like, boom, we were good. It was a beautiful thing’ (pictured in 1987)

'I've been pushing for that for 10 years': Sammy also confirmed rumors that Van Halen was planning a group reunion tour before the Grammy winner's health took a turn for the worse (pictured in 1995)

‘I’ve been pushing for that for 10 years’: Sammy also confirmed rumors that Van Halen was planning a group reunion tour before the Grammy winner’s health took a turn for the worse (pictured in 1995)

'The Red Rocker': Hagar has been hard at work promoting Santo Tequila with co-founder Guy Fieri and he's recording his 19th studio album, Lockdown 2020, due out next year (pictured December 11)

‘The Red Rocker’: Hagar has been hard at work promoting Santo Tequila with co-founder Guy Fieri and he’s recording his 19th studio album, Lockdown 2020, due out next year (pictured December 11)