Sam Ryder recalls the moment Dave Grohl asked him to sing at Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert

Sam Ryder says he “burst into tears” when he got the phone call confirming Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl wanted him to perform at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert last September.

Four months after coming second for the UK at Eurovision, Sam Ryder was one of a plethora of artists who celebrated the life of Taylor Hawkins at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Ryder belted out a version of ‘Somebody To Love’ with Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, together with drummer Rufus Taylor and members of Foo Fighters.

Speaking to Absolute Radio’s Ben Burrell backstage at Isle of Wight Festival 2023 on Saturday (17th June), Sam Ryder recalled the emotional moment he got the phone call.

Ryder explained that he was flying in a Spitfire during filming for an episode of online series Trainspotting with Francis Bourgeois when Roger Taylor’s team phoned him up.

"We were up in the Spitfires and we had our phones on aeroplane mode,” Ryder said. “So I missed a phone call that was obviously a very important phone call. And I landed and I was chased up, ‘did you get the phone call from someone?’ And I went ‘no, what you were talking about?!’

“Then it came through again and it was from Roger Taylor's team saying ‘are you busy on Saturday? Because Dave Grohl has asked if you want to play with Queen and Queen really want to do it!’ I literally burst into tears. I can't express in this short amount of time that we have together and how much that meant to me.”

Heaping praise on Queen, Ryder continued: “(Queen) were the very reason that myself and so many others picked up a guitar, picked up a microphone and just it to follow in the footsteps, just to even be part of that trail that they blazed is an honour to all of us.

"To get that opportunity to sing that song ‘Somebody To Love’ on the same patch of ground - I know it's a new stadium, but it's the same sort of coordinates – that the last time it was sung was by George Michael at Freddy (Mercury)’s memorial concert (in April 1992). That’s the last time the band were there.”

He added: “It meant so much and I just went out there and sang my absolute head off and loved every second and just celebrated the life of Taylor loudly with everyone in that that stadium because he was an enigma and just the greatest because he doesn't inspire people just with his ability, he inspired people - and continues to do so - with his attitude and his charisma and his character.

“You watch (footage of) Taylor Hawkins playing the drums now, he doesn't just play it. He's smiling. It’s like he has to do that because there's no other thing in this world that he'd rather do. And that's so important for new people in music to see.”

Listen to Sam Fender's live set at Isle of Wight Festival:

Isle of Wight Festival 2023 in photos:

Now read:

60 incredible photos of the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert

Queen's Roger Taylor receives OBE and dedicates it to Taylor Hawkins

Listen to Absolute Radio on DAB nationwide, on our free app, by hitting that play button on the bottom of your screen and via your smart speaker (“Play Absolute Radio”).

• Foo Fighters
• sam ryder
• Dave Grohl
• Taylor Hawkins