Profile Text
Hagar in 2016, photo by Starfrenzy /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Sam Roy Hagar
Place of Birth: Salinas, Monterey, California, United States
Date of Birth: October 13, 1947
Ethnicity: * father – English, Scottish * mother – three quarters Italian/Sicilian, one quarter German
Sammy Hagar, also known as The Red Rocker, is an American rock vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, musician, and entrepreneur. He is the lead singer of supergroups Chickenfoot and The Circle. He was previously the lead singer of rock bands Montrose and Van Halen, and a member of rock supergroup Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve and supergroup Planet Us. Other members of Van Halen include/have included Michael Anthony , David Lee Roth , Alex Van Halen , Eddie Van Halen , and Wolfgang Van Halen . Neal Schon was also a member of Hagar Schon Aaronson Shrieve. Michael Anthony , Joe Satriani , and Schon were also members of Planet Us.
Sammy was born in Salinas, the son of Alberta “Gladys” (Baio) and Robert Alton “Bobby” Hagar, who were itinerant farm labourers. He was partly raised in nearby Fontana, CA, where his father worked at a steel mill. His father’s ancestry was English and Scottish. His mother was of three quarters Italian/Sicilian and one quarter German descent. He has described himself as “half Italian, half Southern redneck.”
He is married to Kari. Sammy has two children with his former wife Betsy Berardi; and two children with Kari.
There are many claims on the internet that Sammy is of Lebanese descent. This is not accurate.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Sammy’s genetic ancestry consists of:
*29% Southern Italy *28% England & Northwestern Europe *22% Scotland *7% Germanic Europe *3% Malta *3% Sweden & Denmark *2% Cyprus *2% Sardinia *1% Ireland *1% Baltics *1% Eastern Europe & Russia
*29% Southern Italy *28% England & Northwestern Europe *22% Scotland *7% Germanic Europe *3% Malta *3% Sweden & Denmark *2% Cyprus *2% Sardinia *1% Ireland *1% Baltics *1% Eastern Europe & Russia
Sammy’s paternal grandfather was William Anderson “Will” Hager/Hagar (the son of William R. Hager/Hagar and Lucinda/Lucende Jane Franklin). Sammy’s grandfather William was born in Texas. Sammy’s great-grandfather William was born in Virginia, likely in Mercer County, the legal son of Alem Hagar and Elizabeth Bailey; genetic testing indicates that Sammy’s great-grandfather William’s biological father was surnamed Belcher, and that Sammy’s biological great-great-great-grandfather was Isham Belcher, who was born, c. 1770, in Virginia. Sammy’s great-grandmother Lucinda was the daughter of William Anderson Franklin and Narsissus/Narcissa Smith.
Sammy’s paternal grandmother was Hattie Jane McFarland (the daughter of William Stanford McFarland and Mary Ann Carothers). Hattie was born in Kentucky. William was the son of John H. McFarland and Harriet Leaman. Mary Ann was the daughter of Samuel Carothers and Elizabeth S. Hamilton.
Sammy’s maternal grandfather was Sam Baio (the son of Angelo Baio and Adelina/Lena Terinova/Tierranova/Terranova/Perrnoa). Sammy’s grandfather Sam was born in New York, to Italian parents.
Sammy’s maternal grandmother was Hazel “Katherine”/Catherine/Catarina Alessi/Alesse (the daughter of Giacomo “Frank” Alessi/Alesse and Gertrude Catherine/Cathrina Naruck). Sammy’s grandmother Katherine was born in Sierra Madre, Los Angeles, California, and spent time in a convent girls’ asylum as a child. Giacomo was born in Campofelice, Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, and was a fruit dealer. His brother Joseph was sentenced to twelve years in prison for murder; Joseph’s sons Antonio and Paul were later murdered. Sammy’s great-grandmother Gertrude was born in Rochester, Monroe, New York, to German parents.
Sources: Are We Having Any Fun Yet?: The Cooking & Partying Handbook , 2015
Marriage record of Sammy’s maternal grandparents, Sam Baio and Hazel “Katherine”/Catherine/Catarina Alessi/Alesse – https://familysearch.org
Sammy’s maternal grandfather, Sam Baio, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org