Richie Sambora

He rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead guitarist for the long-haired rock band Bon Jovi, fronted by vocalist Jon Bon Jovi. His genius on the guitar is undeniable, but his devotion to his wife is another matter.

Richie Sambora was born on July 11^th, 1959 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. The son of Polish and Italian parents, Sambora attended Woodbridge High School and was inspired to play the guitar at the age of 12 following the death of guitar icon Jimi Hendrix.

In his early days of playing, Sambora took most of his influences from Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Led Zeppelin and of course the legendary Jimmy. When Jon Bon Jovi first saw Richie play, he doubted his ability to be the lead guitarist for the band, but soon changed his mind after working with Richie for a short time. It was a wise decision. The band, with Richie’s help, achieved massive success, releasing many albums and memorable singles. Their most notable success was during the 80s with the release of the album New Jersey, featuring singles like Bad Medicine, Lay Your Hands on Me, and I’ll be There for You. The release of their 2005 album Have a Nice Day was released over twenty years after their first recording. It is an incredible success in an industry where bands come and go. Although their popularity peaked in the 80s, there are still millions of loyal Bon Jovi fans across the globe.

After years of playing with front man Jon Bon, Richie went out on his own to do some solo recordings. Stranger In This Town, released in 1991, was a blues-influenced work well-received by critics and die-hard guitar fans. Eric Clapton, one of Sambora’s biggest inspirations, also played on the album’s single Mr. Bluesman. He also released Undiscovered Soul in 1998, with the producing efforts of Don Was. In addition to being a master of the guitar, Sambora can play an amazing number of other instruments including the madolin, sitar, bass, banjo, piano, drums and flute, although it is definitely his reputation as a guitarist that has brought him the most fame. In recent months, however, it is his personal life rather than his musical abilities that have brought him the most attention.

In 1994, Richie married the beautiful actress Heather Locklear in a Paris wedding. On October 4^th, 1997, Heather gave birth to daughter Ava Elizabeth. It appeared the couple had a fairy tale life, but in February of 2006, Locklear filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The tabloids immediately pounced on the story. It was reported that, in the ultimate betrayal of trust, Richie was having an affair with Denise Richards, one of Heather’s closest friends. Denise was also married at the time to Charlie Sheen. Richie and Denise are reported to be currently dating.