Toby Neal

Sammy Hagar has worked hard to make his name synonymous with parties, so cutting a party record like Sammy Hagar & Friends makes perfect sense. This is all about good times with good friends, and many of the guys – and, with the exception of Heart's Nancy Wilson, they're all guys – helping out the Red Rocker have been in Sammy's circle for years…

The surreal illustration that covers this Daptone offering vaguely recalls those of Philadelphia International releases by Billy Paul, Monk Montgomery, and MFSB. Among the Olympians' late-'60s/early-'70s inspirations must be the musicians behind those recordings, as well as the crews who contributed to the sessions guided by supreme chamber-soul architects Charles Stepney and Norman Whitfield…

Sammy Hagar's recording legacy from the early days of Montrose through his solo career through the Van Halen years have collectively sold in the tens of millions worldwide. The respect of his peers illustrates his ability to draw artists of the highest caliber to collaborate with him, many of whom are featured on this album. This is a career-defining record for Sammy, where he masterfully assembled a diverse selection of songs that delve into rock, country, blues and pop. Featured Guest Appearances: Kid Rock, Neal Schon (Santana, Journey, HSAS), Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen, Chickenfoot)), Taj Mahal, Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), Toby Keith, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Bill Church & Denny Carmassi (Montrose), The Wabos and more on a epic collection of 10 songs!

There are signs of a much overdue, and very welcome, Parry revival. Apart from Blest Pair of Sirens, little of Parry's choral music has been performed—or recorded—in recent years. His star was to a large degree eclipsed by that of his slightly younger contemporary Elgar at the end of his lifetime, but there's no doubt that the latter was strongly influenced by Parry's music, especially when it came to writing his oratorios, as this recording well shows. Parry's Job, written in 1892, pre-dates all of Elgar's oratorios and it is easy to detect its influence in, for instance, The Dream of Gerontius, written ten years later.

Sammy Hagar's recording legacy from the early days of Montrose through his solo career through the Van Halen years have collectively sold in the tens of millions worldwide. The respect of his peers illustrates his ability to draw artists of the highest caliber to collaborate with him, many of whom are featured on this album. This is a career-defining record for Sammy, where he masterfully assembled a diverse selection of songs that delve into rock, country, blues and pop. Featured Guest Appearances: Kid Rock, Neal Schon (Santana, Journey, HSAS), Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, Michael Anthony (ex-Van Halen, Chickenfoot)), Taj Mahal, Ronnie Dunn (Brooks & Dunn), Toby Keith, Nancy Wilson (Heart), Bill Church & Denny Carmassi (Montrose), The Wabos and more on a epic collection of 10 songs!