Metallica frontman James Hetfield performed for the first time since his fall 2019 return to rehab during a February 20 appearance at an Eddie Money tribute show in Beverly Hills, CA. The event at the city’s Saban Theater saw Hetfield offer his own personal story about befriending the late rocker, who passed away from esophageal cancer in September at the age of 70. “I got to hang out with Eddie, the last probably three years of his life,” Hetfield told the crowd. “I saw the cleaned-up version of Eddie.”
Hetfield performed a solo acoustic version of Money’s 1977 smash, “Baby Hold On”, at the tribute evening, which raised funds for MusiCares and The USC Eddie Money Cancer Research Fund. The night included appearances by Sammy Hagar, George Thorogood, John Waite, Mickey Thomas, Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato of REO Speedwagon, Greg Kihn and Tommy Tutone, among others.
You can watch Hetfield’s performance at the link here.
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