Sammy Hagar has shared a new aptly personal single, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight,” which also represents his first release on the label, Big Machine Rock. The track, inspired by the co-writer’s dream about the late Eddie Van Halen, a guitar great known for his two-handed tapping technique on the fretboard, is accompanied by an official lyric video on YouTube.

“Encore, Thank You, Goodnight” represents a co-write between Hagar and guitarist Joe Santriani, which spawned from Hagar’s vivid dream featuring the fellow artist. A melody-rich rock anthem, the track finds both its writers incorporating riffs as a sonic tribute to Van Halen, with instrumental assistance from Michael Anthony (bass) and Kenny Aronoff (drums). 

“This song is my final bow to that part of my life,” says Hagar. “It’s not meant to be anything more than a thank-you — with love, with respect, and with one hell of a guitar solo. Joe brought in that big, emotional, guitar-driven energy that feels like Eddie’s spirit but is entirely of Joe’s creation. With Michael Anthony’s thundering bass and stellar Van Halen-esque background vocals and Kenny Aronoff’s relentlessly powerful driving rhythms, the song really came together on all levels.”  

Hagar and Van Halen were bandmates for over a decade, from 1985 to 1996. Hagar replaced David Lee Roth in the lineup at shaky times for the bandmates. The namesake/ virtuoso guitarist passed away in 2020, only to visit Hagar’s dreams and inspire his latest release, “Encore, Thank You, Goodnight.” Listen/ watch below.

Tonight, Hagar kicks off his residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM. Tickets remain on sale and can be purchased here.