KELLY HANSEN To Sit Out FOREIGNER's Latin American Tour Due To 'Some Issues'; LOU GRAMM To Step In As 'Guest' Singer

FOREIGNER singer Kelly Hansen has revealed that he will be forced to miss the band's spring 2025 Latin American tour, which is scheduled to kick off on April 28 in Mexico City. He said in a statement: "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. 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 [original FOREIGNER singer] Lou Gramm who will be guesting with FOREIGNER for those shows. I know they will smash it!"

Gramm most recently joined FOREIGNER's current lineup on stage at the end of the band's March 15 concert at the BayCare Sound in Clearwater, Florida to perform two of the legendary rock group's classic songs, "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Hot Blooded". Fan-filmed video of his appearance can be seen below.

Gramm previously said he planned to retire at the end of 2024, but later revealed that he was in talks to make appearances at "select" tour dates with FOREIGNER's current lineup in 2025. Bassist Rick Wills and drummer Dennis Elliott are also expected to appear at some shows, including FOREIGNER's upcoming Las Vegas residency.

Gramm addressed the possibility of playing shows with FOREIGNER in 2025 during a November 2024 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk". He said: "FOREIGNER's management asked me, Phil Carson asked me if I would be interested in doing some shows with the band. And I said, 'Well, I said I'm ending my band at the end of June because I don't wanna be on the road anymore. I'm not sure, whether I'm out with my band or your band, it's still on the road.' I said, 'I'm not sure I would be up for doing that.' But I said, 'Talk to me more about it.' He was telling me that they wanna do a substantial tour of the world, which doesn't appeal to me. I don't wanna be out for eight or ten months again without seeing my kids and without being able to drive my cars. I had this planned out that I would wrap up my career in June of next year and then have the summer to play with my cars and see my kids and start the rest of my life. So I'm not sure I wanna go out on the FOREIGNER farewell tour with the new band. And I told Phil I would think about it. And he says that he will come back to me with the particulars, 'cause they're going around the world and stuff."

Lou elaborated on his reasons for not wanting to go on an extended tour again, saying: "I just don't feel like I wanna travel. I'm not sure that the world is a safe place to be touring right now in the way that the state of the world is. So, I don't know. I don't get a real good feeling about doing that. If it was just the States, I would consider it. So I know we're gonna talk. I also wanna know what my compensation would be. If I put an end to my touring for my career, it wouldn't be really an end if I was gonna pick up and go out with the new FOREIGNER for a FOREIGNER farewell tour. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. It would be much more interesting to me if it was members of the original FOREIGNER with augmented instrumentation, like another guitar player or something, rather than go out with another band that calls themselves FOREIGNER. I have a tough time wrapping my head around that."

Asked how many songs he would be expected to sing if he was to appear as a guest on FOREIGNER's 2025 tour, Lou said: "Well, I asked Phil, and he was talking about me doing about five songs. And I says, 'Well, I'd like to do 'Jukebox Hero'.' And he goes, 'I'm not sure about that.' I says, 'I definitely wanna do 'I Want To Know What Love Is'.' And he said, 'I don't think so, no.' And I says, 'Well, I definitely would like to do…' — I can't remember what other song it was, but he goes, 'Hmm, I don't know about that.' So it sounds as if he talked to Kelly about it and Kelly made his claims on certain songs… I couldn't do 'Hot Blooded'. Every song I suggested that I would like to do, he told me he didn't think so. I think he told me what I couldn't sing. And then I would just have to pick from what's left. Mind you, there's a lot of great songs that are left, but there's particular songs that are my trademark songs, and if I can't sing 'em, I don't wanna be out on the road… I suggested four songs, maybe five songs, and he says, 'Not that one. No, I don't think so.' So I just stopped there, because I figured I could keep going for a while and he would keep telling me the same thing. It would be, 'I don't think so, Lou.' 'Pick another one, Lou,' blah, blah, blah, blah. I mean, how do I pick songs that I helped to make famous, and he's telling me, 'Not that one.' [Laughs]"

He added: "It's frustrating, but I don't want it to be frustrating. I've been thinking about it for about a month; that's when I found out that I couldn't sing my own favorite songs on the tour. So I think I'm just gonna tell 'em that I'm not interested."

Asked if he thinks they have concerns about his ability to sing some of FOREIGNER's classic songs, Lou replied: "No. Their concern's about Kelly's ego."

In October 2022, Gramm was asked during an appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" what he thought of Hansen, who has been in the group for two decades. "I think he's a good singer," Lou said. "And he sings those songs okay; he sings them good. But he mimics my style right down to the ad-libs, and I'm offended by that… I just think that if he's gonna sing the songs, he could sing the melodies that are familiar, but when it comes to the ad-libs and all the little things that set me aside as a vocalist when I sing them, he should make his own up. He should have his own ad-libs that are his own; he doesn't have to mimic me."

Gramm's latest comments echoed those he made a little over two months earlier when he told John Beaudin of RockHistoryMusic.com about Hansen: "Kelly is all right. He's a good singer. But I think Mick really told Kelly, when he first got in the band, that he had to study me, because he sings those songs with the same musical innuendos and vocal licks and ad-libs as I have. He's mimicking me. His voice doesn't sound like me, but he's singing the songs the way I would sing them.

"Some people say, 'Well, take it as a compliment, Lou.' I don't take it as a compliment," Gramm continued. "You're a singer with a big band like that — use your voice and your style. Don't hang your coat on my hook.

"I don't think he should sing the songs verbatim like me," Lou added. "Maybe sing a couple of parts. But let his own influences show — show the fans that he's the new singer now, not me."

Asked what it was like to share the stage with Hansen and other members of the current and original FOREIGNER lineup in 2017 and 2018 to celebrate the band's 40th anniversary, Lou told RockHistoryMusic.com: "It was okay. [Kelly] was bouncing off the walls. He couldn't stand still or sit still. After a song ended, I couldn't even get a word to thank the audience or tell 'em that I was happy to be part of the reunion. At the end of the song, the last song hit, and there wasn't a quarter of a second of space before he was yapping away to the audience… It was, like, 'Jeez, will you quiet down for a minute?'"

Gramm was the voice on FOREIGNER's biggest hits, including "Feels Like The First Time" and "Cold As Ice" from the band's eponymous debut in 1977, and later songs like "Hot Blooded" and "I Want to Know What Love Is".

The 74-year-old Gramm left FOREIGNER for good in 2002 and has battled health issues in recent years, including the removal of a non-cancerous tumor. He told the Democrat & Chronicle in 2018 that he was planning to retire, but still reunited with FOREIGNER for several shows that year.

FOREIGNER replaced Gramm with Hansen in 2005. Jones, the only remaining original member of FOREIGNER, suffered from some health issues beginning in 2011, eventually resulting in heart surgery in 2012.

Gramm and Jones's June 2013 performance of "I Want To Know What Love Is" and "Juke Box Hero" at the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in New York City marked the first time the pair performed together in a decade after Gramm left FOREIGNER for a second time. Hansen has fronted the group for the past 20 years.

In other news, FOREIGNER has announced that the band's three-disc set "Can't Slow Down" has officially achieved gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The 2009 set, which included 12 brand new songs, a collection of remixes, and a live DVD, has added a major milestone in the band's illustrious career.

Originally released on September 29, 2009, "Can't Slow Down" is a comprehensive package that showcases FOREIGNER's dynamic range, from remixed hits recorded by the original band to an epic live performance video and 12 new songs featuring Hansen's stellar vocals. The new songs included "In Pieces" and "When It Comes To Love", which were both featured in the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary charts.

The new song set was produced by Mick Jones and Marti Frederiksen. The new recording of "Fool For You Anyway", a song that originally appeared on FOREIGNER's first album was produced by the legendary Mark Ronson. The band lineup for this release includes Mick Jones, Kelly Hansen, Jeff Pilson, Tom Gimbel, Michael Bluestein and Brian Tichy.

Said Mick Jones: "I am so thrilled that FOREIGNER has received this milestone recognition for an album that contained twelve entirely new songs from the current FOREIGNER. It is especially important to me since my stepson, Mark Ronson, produced 'Fool For You Anyway' for this record. His amazing talents as an artist, producer, and songwriter continue to make me so proud."

Hansen said: "I am blown away at the news of this fantastic accomplishment! Mick Jones and Marti Frederiksen did such an amazing job producing this record, and being a co-writer and singing all the lead vocals has been a high point for me professionally."

As previously reported, Nova Scotian singer-actor Geordie Brown will join FOREIGNER as they embark on a 13-city Canadian tour this coming fall. The trek begins on October 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and concludes on November 7 in Kelowna, British Columbia. The tour includes a stop in Brown's hometown at Halifax's Scotiabank Centre on October 24. Canadian rockers 54-40 will provide support.

FOREIGNER's upcoming Canadian tour serves as a prelude to the re-launch of their stage musical "Jukebox Hero: The Musical", which is set to go into production in 2026. Brown originated the lead role in the 2018 workshop production of the musical in Calgary and Edmonton, before a sold-out run at Toronto's Ed Mirvish Theatre in 2019.

Brown proved himself worthy not only to audiences, but also to Jones, who had this to say: "I was most impressed by Geordie's performances of 'Juke Box Hero: The Musical' in Canada. He is not only a consummate vocalist, but a verified Broadway actor to boot. We look forward to welcoming him at our shows on FOREIGNER's 2025 Canadian tour."

Brown is also a theater director and creator, and is known to East Coast Canadian audiences for his productions of "Stan Rogers: A Matter Of Heart" (Neptune Theatre),"The Songs Of The Rat Pack" and "Could I Have This Dance" featuring the music of international music icon and fellow Nova Scotian Anne Murray.

The last time Brown joined FOREIGNER on stage was for a surprise appearance on the final night of the band's "Cold As Ice" tour in Halifax in March 2019. Brown has stayed in touch with the band in recent years and was in Cleveland this past fall when they were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

"I count myself so fortunate that they're bringing me along on this next chapter with the musical, and this Canadian tour," said Brown. "Right now, I'm most looking forward to our Halifax show, for my hometown crowd."