Aerosmith reunited with Run-D.M.C. at the 2020 Grammys tonight (January 26) but their drummer Joey Kramer was not present.
The musician had asked a judge to rule that he should be allowed to rejoin the rock band for their performance at the awards ceremony.
Thank You RUN DMC for saving Aerosmith pic.twitter.com/Xc7K61MR12
— Stay innocent, be naive but still dream big ⁷ (@sarahwarrengill) January 27, 2020
However, the courts decided since Kramer had not played with the band since 2019 because of an injury, it was not unfair of his bandmates to ask him not to take part.
A judge has rejected Aerosmith drummer Joey Kramer's legal bid to rejoin the band when they perform at the Grammys this weekend.
The 69-year-old, who helped found the group 50 years ago, suffered an ankle injury last year which kept him out of action and meant he missed a large part of the band's residency at a Las Vegas casino.
According to the suit, obtained by Rolling Stone, Kramer suffered a few minor injuries last spring that sidelined him just as the band was set to launch their Deuces Are Wild Las Vegas residency. By the fall, Kramer claims, he was ready to rejoin the group, but the suit alleges he was rebuffed in ways that were inconsistent with the terms laid out in Aerosmith’s band contract. The lawsuit comes ahead of Aerosmith’s scheduled performance at the 2020 Grammy Awards this Sunday, January 26th, as well as a tribute show in their honor, January 24th, as they accept the MusiCares Person of the Year award.
"Being prohibited from playing with a band that I have given 50 years of my life to supporting, is beyond devastating," Kramer said in a statement to USA TODAY. "To be removed from my rightful place on stage to celebrate our success – a success that acknowledges my own life’s work, is just plain wrong."