The 42-year-old singer/guitarist was being honoured at a Hollywood fundraiser for the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides access to addiction recovery for members of the music community.

The event, which also honoured concert promoter Bill Silva, culminated in a threesong set by Hetfield and Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo, along with Alice in Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney.

They dusted off the Alice in Chains songs 'Would?' and 'Them Bones', and finished with the Metallica ballad 'Nothing Else Matters.'

Other performers included Tom Waits, Velvet Revolver, Jason Mraz and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Guests included Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne, Motorhead frontman Lemmy, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and guitarist Kirk Hammett, and Red Hot Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis.

They reclined on couches scattered throughout the Music Box @ Fonda and imbibed alcohol-free refreshments, thus avoiding the risk of any public relapses.

Hetfield began his speech asking for a moment of silence "for the people who didn't make it, that aren't with us, who could be and I think should be".

He recounted the old saw that "dying is easy, living is hard", and offered his own recovery as proof that addiction is survivable.