Foreigner’s Lead Singer Quits the Band, Just After Ex-Singer Lou Gramm Agreed to Appear on Tour
Foreigner‘s lead singer, Kelly Hanson, has officially quit the band, after previously stating that could not participate in international dates because he couldn’t leave the country. Foreigner guitarist Luis Maldonado is set to replace him. Now he confirmed his exit on The Voice, stating, “Being the voice of Foreigner has been one of the greatest honors of my life. But it’s time to pass the mic. Luis has the voice, the energy, and the soul to carry these songs into the future. I couldn’t be prouder to hand this off to him.”
In April, singer-songwriter Lou Gramm confirmed that he was recording new vocals for a number of archival Foreigner tracks, including one called “Fool If You Love Him,” and noted in a new Billboard interview that he buried the hatchet with Foreigner guitarist Mick Jones. He also planned on singing with Foreigner at several dates on their new tour.
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With Hanson’s “residency” issues, Gramm was part of the eight concert dates in Latin America this year, and told Brazillian radio station per Blabbermouth, “I think we’re gonna continue doing this type of thing for another year or so… [After the Latin American tour] I’m doing Southeast Asia, I’m doing Europe and next year I’m doing the whole of the U.S.” Canadian actor Geordie Brown, who was part of the musical Juke Box Hero, will be taking over singing duty for the fall shows in Canada. Gramm did note he’d be up for joining in on more of the North American dates. In 2026, the band has planned a special tour for their 50th anniversary, and a documentary is in the works.
Gramm and Jones feuded publicly for a number of years, but, as Gramm told Billboard, ever since the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024, “Personally, I had to find a way to let go of some of the things I’ve been holding onto for years — and, like the song says, let it be.” Jones was not in attendance of the band’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction due to his battle with Parkinson’s disease, and Gramm and Jones are not currently directly in touch.
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Gramm continued, “It’s a hackneyed sentiment, but it’s true — life’s too short. And a lot of the things that are blown up and made big deals about are easy enough to get over and humble yourself and reach out a little bit, ’cause what you’ve been mad about for the past 20 years is not a monumental thing.” Gramm, who has also had issues with Foreigner singer Kelly Hansen, who has handled vocal duties for the band since 2005, said that everything is good with the two of them now, too.
As for why the band has so much archival material to release, Gramm explained, “For every Foreigner album we always recorded three or four songs more than we needed, and we usually chose 10 songs and the rest were either done or almost done but were excellent. They fall by the wayside on times like this. There doesn’t seem to ever be a lack of material.”
For all of Foreigner’s 2025 tour dates click here.
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