Rock legends Foreigner got their long overdue induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame last year, but the band has operated largely without any original members for years including original singer Lou Gramm. The band is set for a South American tour later this year, but it will be without longtime singer Kelly Hansen who took Gramm’s place in the band back in 2005.
“Some issues have forced me to limit appearances outside of the USA this year, and this means, unfortunately, I will miss Foreigner’s South American run,” Hansen said. “However, our incredible bandmate Luis Maldonado has been recording some of our hits in Spanish and he will be handling most of the vocals along with Lou Gramm who will be guesting with Foreigner for those shows. I know they will smash it!”
Gramm has guested with the band he helped co-found prior to this, the last time being March 15 at a show in Clearwater, Florida. He left the group in the early 2000s after saying guitarist Mick Jones had suppressed him creatively. The pair also reportedly had a falling out over songwriting credit for their mega-hit “I Want To Know What Love Is,” which Gramm said cost him millions of dollars.
Now somewhat ironically, it will be Gramm on stage with the band. Jones hasn’t played in a touring capacity with the group in some time due to health issues.
