The trajectory of Van Halen would have been entirely different had it not been for Frank Sinatra. It's a weird butterfly effect that way. But the band's second singer after David Lee Roth apparently owes his life to him. Recently, Sammy Hagar opened up his new Las Vegas Residency and recalled his first time exploring Sin City in the late 60's. One night impresses someone at a bar with his band's performance. Then, it leads to a big opportunity to go see Sinatra.
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"I had this little band, and we got in a van and we drove to Vegas. We thought we were gonna get a gig at one of these bars for something," Sammy says. "So I run into a guy and he goes, 'You guys are pretty good.' We auditioned. He goes, 'I work for Frank Sinatra. Wanna come see him tonight?'"
Frank Sinatra Saves Sammy Hagar in a Fight After a Chance Encounter in Las Vegas
Obviously Hagar quickly jumps at the chance to meet Sinatra. Apparently, Frank had already knew that Sammy was singing for a band. So, with a martini in one hand and a cigarette in the other, the pair meet and the "Come Fly With Me" singer invites him onstage. "I'm there, and he does some weird song that I don't know, and he called me up," Hagar recalls of Sinatra. "I don't know the song — I was like 20 years old. I'm running around, I'm jumping on tables, going out in the audience, working it real hard, and Frank's just watching me. He looks at his buddies, and they want to come get me off stage."
Still, Frank lets him continue. Sammy obviously wants to go for another meeting but doesn't get the second chance. Then, as he leaves the showroom, he gets attacked. However, like a saint, Sinatra comes out and tells them to cut it out. "I'm walking out the back door, and these guys jump me, and they're beating the s--- out of me, working me hard. I'm thinking I'm dying," Hagar recalls. "Frank walks out, opens the door [wags his finger] and says, 'That's enough.'"
