TESLA 'Won't Get A Replacement' Vocalist If JEFF KEITH Gets Sick And Can't Sing: 'It's Kind Of Sacred Ground'

In a new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, TESLA guitarist Frank Hannon was asked if he and his bandmates would ever consider getting a temporary replacement if singer Jeff Keith got sick and couldn't play certain shows. The 57-year-old musician, who handles lead vocals in his solo band, responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "It's kind of sacred ground with TESLA. We've already decided that when Jeff can't sing, we won't get a replacement. Historically, in the 40 years that we've been doing TESLA, we probably can count on one or two hands at the most how many shows we've had to cancel due to him being sick. For years we prided ourselves in never canceling a show. There's only been a few, and rightfully so, 'cause he just could not do it. And bless his heart, he tried, but when the human voice gets sick, you just can't do it. There's been a rare occasion maybe where I've covered and would sing to get through the show, but no, not really. I mean, I can pull off some songs that I do on my own, but when it comes to a TESLA show, Jeff Keith is the singer.

He continued: "There's been a few times where we've had to cancel. But we try not to, and we've tried not to for many years. And I think Jeff Keith deserves a lot of credit for still singing and doing what he's doing at his age.

"I love doing the shows with Jeff, and he and I sing a lot together in the show," Frank explained. "I've learned a lot from Jeff Keith on phrasing and harmony, and he and I sing harmonies in the show a lot. And when I do my solo shows, I love singing his lyrics, like I'll sing [the TESLA song] 'What You Give', 'cause he wrote that from his heart and I wrote it from my heart with him and I can feel every word he sings on that. So there's a few songs that I will attempt to do now and then — 'Love Song', 'What You Give', the songs that I wrote the music for. But when it comes to doing a TESLA show, it's all about Jeff Keith."

As previously reported, TESLA will return to the House Of Blues inside Mandalay Bay Resort And Casino Las Vegas in 2024 with their "Tesla: The Las Vegas Takeover". Shows will be held on April 5, 6, 10, 12 and 13, 2024, and are scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m.

In August 2022, TESLA released a standalone single, "Time To Rock!" A year earlier, the band issued another new track called "Cold Blue Steel".

In September 2023, TESLA released the official music video for its cover of AEROSMITH's "S.O.S. (Too Bad)". The song is a bonus track on TESLA's live album, "Full Throttle Live!", which arrived in May 2023. The LP includes the band's "Time To Rock!" single, plus other songs, all recorded in August 2022 at Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, South Dakota.

In September 2021, TESLA drummer Troy Luccketta announced that he would "take a little time from the road" to spend with family and friends. He has since been replaced at TESLA's gigs by Steve Brown, the younger brother of former DOKKEN drummer Mick Brown.

TESLA's debut album, 1986's "Mechanical Resonance", went platinum on the strength of the hits "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi". The 1989 follow-up album, "The Great Radio Controversy", produced five hits, including "Heaven's Trail (No Way Out)" and "Love Song", which hit the pop Top Ten.