“Now… which leather pants to wear?!” Lzzy Hale of Halestorm will front Skid Row on tour, following the exit of singer Erik Grönwall

Lzzy Hale Halestorm
(Image credit: Press/Halestorm)

Halestorm singer/guitarist Lzzy Hale has announced that she is the fill-in vocalist for glam metal veterans Skid Row, following the exit of singer Erik Grönwall.

The American musician made the announcement today (March 27) in a statement via social media.

“I’m stepping in for a few dates as the lead singer of Skid Row!” Hale wrote.

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“What an honor to call them my friends and a privilege to be sharing the stage with them! Erik, I wish you all the magic on your next adventure.

“Now… which leather pants to wear?!!”

Hale will front Skid Row during their next four concerts, the first of which takes place at Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort in Carterville, Illinois, on May 17. The full list of dates is available below, and tickets are now available.

Skid Row, who were originally and most famously fronted by Sebastian Bach from their formation in 1987 through to 1996, hired Grönwall in 2022 as the replacement for former Dragonforce frontman ZP Theart.

As Grönwall explains in a new statement, he joined Skid Row six months after finishing treatment for leukaemia, and he cites his health as the primary reason for him parting with the band.

Grönwall wrote: “I got the opportunity to join this incredible band six months after my treatment against leukemia. And one month after that, I was on a world tour with Skid f**** Row. Wow! It was a dream come true. However, it proved challenging touring the world with an impaired immune system, which is a result of my bone marrow transplant.

“I respect and understand that Skid Row is a touring band, but since I can't prioritize my health being in the band, I have decided that it's better for me to step aside.

“I love Skid Row, I have nothing but respect for the guys in the band but I love and respect my health more. I'm getting stronger and healthier every day but after consulting my doctor I need to allow myself more time to recover, which I can’t do as the lead singer of Skid Row. That’s why I have reached the tough decision to move on.

“I want to thank the guys for this incredible opportunity. And I want to thank all the Skid Row fans who accepted me as the lead singer of this iconic band. Health first!”

Halestorm – whom Hale co-founded with her drummer brother, Arejay, in 1997 – are currently working on the followup to their 2022 album Back From The Dead.

Lzzy told UpVenue in August 2023: “We’ve already begun writing for another record, so we’ll probably try to put that together in our spare time in some way [after finishing touring in 2023].”

Halestorm are also touring North America in 2024. Dates and tickets are available now via the band’s website.

Skid Row US dates with Lzzy Hale:

May 17: Carterville Walker’s Bluff Casino Resort, IL
May 18: Riverside Casino & Golf Resort, IA
May 31: Sparks Nugget Casino Resort, NV
Jun 01: Sacramento Hard Rock Live, CA

Matt Mills
Contributing Editor, Metal Hammer

Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Prog and Metal Hammer, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, NME, Guitar and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

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