Richie Sambora Has No Regrets

Early Life:
Richard Stephen Sambora was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, on July 11, 1959, to Joan (née Sienila) and Adam C. Sambora, a factory foreman.

Sambora was reared Catholic and is of Polish descent.

He grew raised in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, where he graduated from Woodbridge High School in 1977.

He was a basketball player in high school, and his Woodbridge High team won the 1975 Group 4 State Championship as a sophomore.

The accordion was Sambora’s first instrument, which he began playing at the age of six. Following the death of Jimi Hendrix in 1970, he began playing the guitar at the age of 12. Sambora was influenced by blues and 1960s rock and roll from an early age. Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Johnny Winter, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, George Harrison, and B. B. King were among his major influences. Spanish classical music inspired him as well, and he developed a lifetime passion for the Spanish guitar.

He also mentioned that psychedelic soul singer Janis Joplin influenced his musical approach heavily throughout her late 1960s and early 1970s career. Several of his songs, such as The Answer, which was created on the piano, were directly influenced by classical music. Sambora also plays drums, bass, saxophone, piano, and a variety of other instruments. He first performed on stage when he was a teenager at a Catholic Youth Organization event.



Is Richie Sambora a good guitarist?
He’s a fantastic technical player who’s dabbled in a variety of styles. His acoustic work is outstanding, and he’s composed some unforgettable riffs. Sambora should be given more credit for his guitar skills, as he has the ability to play anything he wants.

Career:
Prior to joining Bon Jovi, Sambora was a member of the band Message, who released their debut album “Lesson” in 1982. In 1995 and 2000, the album was re-released. At the age of 19, Sambora was also a co-owner of a New Jersey nightclub and the owner of his own record company, Dream Disc Records. In the early 1980s, he opened for Joe Cocker on his first professional tour. Just before joining Bon Jovi in 1983, Sambora auditioned unsuccessfully for the role of Ace Frehley’s replacement in KISS.

Dave Sabo, Bon Jovi’s original lead guitarist, was replaced by Sambora. After seeing a Bon Jovi gig, Sambora contacted Jon afterward to express his admiration and suggest they collaborate. Jon invited Richie to a band rehearsal after the two became friends right away. Sambora arrived at the rehearsal before Jon, and by the time Jon arrived, the band sounded better than it had before Richie. On the spot, Sambora was employed.



In 1984 and 1985, Bon Jovi released their first two albums. With the release of their third album, “Slippery When Wet,” in 1986, Bon Jovi achieved worldwide popularity. That album gave birth to 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 album is “Slippery When Wet.” “New Jersey,” the band’s next album, had 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, “The Circle” in 2009.



The band’s core songwriting duo was Richie 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 then, at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction in 2018.

Richie has recorded three solo albums in addition to his work with Bon Jovi: “Stranger in This Town” in 1991, “Undiscovered Soul” in 1998, and “Aftermath of the Lowdown” in 2012. Richie Sambora has co-written four #1 hits, 20 Top 10 singles, and nearly 40 Top 40 singles in total.