Richie Sambora has a net worth of $100 million USD. He is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter. Richie Sambora is best known as the lead guitarist and one of the key songwriters for Bon Jovi, a hugely popular rock band. He’s also made two solo albums and appeared on other recordings as a guest performer. The Songwriters Hall of Fame inducted him in 2009. He’s seen and rocked a million people’s faces.
Early Life:
On July 11, 1959, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, Richard Stephen Sambora was born. The accordion was the first instrument picked up by the future rock star when he was six years old. After Jimi Hendrix died when he was 12, he began learning to play the guitar. In addition to piano, bass guitar, saxophone, and drums, Sambora is a multi-instrumentalist. During his adolescent years, he made his debut appearance at a dance put on by the Catholic Youth Organisation. Sambora was a basketball player for Woodbridge High School. His high school team won the New Jersey State Title in 1975 when Sambora was a sophomore. In 1977, Sambora finished secondary school.
Career:
Prior to joining Bon Jovi, Sambora was a member of Message, whose debut album “Lesson” was released in 1982. In 1995 and again in 2000, the album was re-released. Sambora was also a part-owner of a New Jersey nightclub and the owner of his own record company, Dream Disc Records when he was 19 years old. In the early 1980s, he embarked on his first professional tour as an opener for Joe Cocker. Just before joining Bon Jovi in 1983, Sambora auditioned unsuccessfully to replace Ace Frehley in KISS.
The original lead guitarist of Bon Jovi, Dave Sabo, was replaced by Sambora. After seeing a Bon Jovi gig, Sambora approached Jon to express his admiration and propose that they collaborate. Jon invited Richie to a band rehearsal right away, and the two quickly became friends. Sambora arrived at the rehearsal before Jon, and by the time Jon arrived, the band sounded even better than it had without Richie. On the spot, Sambora was signed.
The first two albums of Bon Jovi were released in 1984 and 1985, respectively. “Slippery When Wet,” Bon Jovi’s third album, was released in 1986 and was a worldwide success. That album produced three classic Bon Jovi songs: “Wanted Dead or Alive,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Living on a Prayer,” the latter two of which went on to become number one hits. The band’s most successful record remains “Slippery When Wet.” “New Jersey,” the band’s next album, featured the singles “Born to Be Your Baby,” “Lay Your Hands On Me,” and “I’ll Be There For You,” among others.
Bon Jovi has 14 studio albums to their credit as of this writing: “Bon Jovi” in 1984, “7800° Fahrenheit” in 1985, “Slippery When Wet” in 1986, “New Jersey” in 1988, “Keep the Faith” in 1992, “These Days” in 1995, “Crush” in 2000, “Bounce” in 2002, “Have a Nice Day” in 2005, “Lost Highway” in 2007, “What About Now” in 2013, “This House I
The band’s principal songwriting duo was Nikki Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi. Sambora departed the band during a show in Calgary during the band’s Because We Can Tour in 2013, and has only performed with Bon Jovi since their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction in 2018.
Richie has released three solo albums in addition to his work with Bon Jovi: “Stranger in This Town,” “Undiscovered Soul,” and “Aftermath of the Lowdown,” all of which were released in 1991. Richie Sambora has co-written four #1 hits, 20 Top 10 hits, and nearly 40 Top 40 hits in total.
Personal Life:
In 1991, Cher and Richie Sambora were dating.
On December 17, 1994, in Paris, Sambora and Heather Locklear married. Ava Elizabeth, born in October 1997, is the couple’s only child. In 2007, Locklear and Sambora divorced.
Lung cancer claimed the life of Sambora’s father on April 16, 2007.
From 2014 to 2018, Samora was romantically linked to musician Orianthi.
In 2007, Sambora sought treatment for alcoholism and opioid addiction.
In March 2008, in Orange County, California, Sambora was detained on suspicion of drunk driving. He was fined $390, placed on three years of probation, and ordered to take a driver’s education class.
Sambora entered rehab once more in April 2011. He was unable to attend 13 of the Bon Jovi concerts. In June 2011, after completing recovery, he rejoined the band on tour.
Sambora signed a contract with song-acquisition company Hipgnosis Songs Fund in the spring of 2020 to sell the rights to his 200-song collection. Merc Mercuriadis is renowned for overpaying for songs, and with “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” in Sambora’s personal collection, one may guess he’ll be walking away with a large payday. Hipgnosis assigns a monetary value to a song’s long-term royalties potential.
Sambora signed a letter decrying racism in late July 2020, alongside Nile Rodgers, Niall Horan, Rita Ora, 1975, Lewis Capaldi, and hundreds of other artists.
In the year 2020, Ava Sambora received her bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University.
Real Estate:
Richie Sambora owns properties in Point Pleasant Boro, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Calabasas, CA, and Laguna Beach, CA.
Sambora paid $3.58 million for a 2,600 square foot condo in a downtown Philadelphia highrise with three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms in September 2008. The apartment is on the 52nd floor, according to reports.
