For those expecting to see Jason Boham touring with Sammy Hagar’s band, we have some bad news.
Bonham was forced to leave the tour due to an unspecified family issue through the end of August. His bandmate recently confirmed the news during a new interview with KSHE 95.
“Jason’s [family emergency] was a sudden thing,” he explained. “His mother had a stroke and went into a coma and it’s serious. So [his] whole family went over there [to the United Kingdom]. And he held out for two or three days, and he says, ‘I gotta go. I gotta go.’ I said, ‘You go. Go.’”
“So we told Kenny [Aronoff],” Hagar added. “He had about 24-hour notice. And he came in the first night. He got there 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. So that’s big hats off to this guy.”
Hagar also confirmed that their current touring drummer Kenny Aronoff might continue to play in more shows in the following weeks.
The singer sent a message to the Bonham family during one of his shows. “Tonight I’m going to dedicate this to the Bonham family in England,” Hagar said before performing ‘Eagles Fly’ at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati. “Hope everything works out okay over there and to our brother Jason.”
Bonham later explained why he left the tour. A fan commented on Hagar’s Instagram post with a video from a recent show. “Wow, man. You changed the kick drum heads. Jason is his own man,” the user wrote. “His dad is in there plenty. It’s been a long time. And you smacking those high notes right in the tune, Sammy. Dammy. Nothing like a tour to get the chops flowing? You sound great, man! Hope, you do another leg & or tour brother.”
Hagar responded: “I felt uncomfortable leaving the heads the same without Jason playing the kit he’ll be back. Prayers for his mother in order my friend. Thank you.”
The North American leg of the tour wrapped up on August 31 in St. Louis, Missouri. The band is now set to play in Japan on September 20, 22, and 23. It’s still unclear if Jason will be back.