There’s a famous saying: never meet your heroes. It sounds a bit dramatic—after all, why wouldn’t you want to meet the people who shaped your taste, your passion, maybe even your life? But every so often, stories come along that remind us this advice exists for a reason. One such story comes from rock legend Sammy Hagar, and it involves none other than funk pioneer Sly Stone.
In his autobiography Red: My Uncensored Life in Rock, Hagar shares a moment from his early career that left a lasting impression—and not in a good way. At the time, Hagar was still building his reputation, spending long hours in a studio in Sausalito, California. Like many musicians trying to make it, he was grinding, carrying his own gear, and doing whatever it took to move forward.
One rainy day, that grind collided with a moment he probably expected to be exciting. As Hagar was returning to the studio with two guitars in hand, he spotted Sly Stone arriving in style—stepping out of a Rolls-Royce, dressed in a fur coat and surrounded by an entourage. This wasn’t just any artist. This was someone Hagar admired, someone whose music had influenced him.
Naturally, Hagar hurried toward the door, hoping for a small act of courtesy. “Hey, hold the door,” he called out as the rain poured down around him.