On Thursday, July 23, David Lee Roth announced the cancellation of six out of his seven remaining U.S. tour dates, scheduled between July 24 and September 3, without providing a formal reason. This led to an unexpected wave of public support and a surprising invitation from Sammy Hagar, with whom Roth has had a contentious relationship since Hagar took over his role in Van Halen back in 1985, including some public jabs just last year.

“From the bottom of my heart, I want to express my sorrow,” Hagar stated in an Instagram video. “I genuinely hope you’re doing alright and that there aren’t any serious health issues … and yes, I truly regret this situation. It’s unfortunate.”

Hagar took the olive branch a step further by inviting Roth to join him for his band’s “The Best of All Worlds” residency, resuming at Park MGM’s Dolby Live in Las Vegas on September 18, 19, 23, 25, and 26.

“Come on, join us, sing a few songs, and MC the damn show,” he suggested. “Just come out and do what you do best, which is incredibly entertaining.”

Watch the video below:

Cheers to Van Halen

Six years following Eddie Van Halen’s passing from tongue cancer, both Hagar, now 78, and Roth, at 71, have fully embraced their legacy with Van Halen. A significant portion—over two-thirds—of each of their solo performances includes songs they recorded with the legendary band.

“Honestly, Mike and I appreciate the fact that you’re still out there, honoring the world’s greatest band that we were part of — keeping our music alive,” Hagar expressed, referring to Michael Anthony, the founding bassist who remained with Hagar after his departure from Van Halen in 2005.

“You, me, Mikey, Al [Alex Van Halen], and Ed are irreplaceable,” Hagar continued. “So, when you’re ready to take the stage again, you go for it, brother. Mike and I support you all the way.”

Hagar detailed his intentions further in the caption of the video.

“I may not look my best, but this message is heartfelt,” he wrote. “Those of us who can still perform should keep the music going as long as we’re able to physically and emotionally carry that legacy.”

Top 3 Reasons Roth May Decline

As of now, Roth has not publicly responded to Hagar’s invitation and is unlikely to do so for several key reasons, including:

1) The public nature of the offer suggests Hagar wanted to highlight his outreach to Roth as much as Roth’s potential acceptance.

2) Accepting the invitation could imply that Roth’s tour cancellations stemmed from poor ticket sales rather than health or family concerns.

3) Joining the performance as an MC or guest singer could significantly reduce Roth’s expected revenue.