In Hulu’s Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, the legendary rock band’s former guitarist Richie Sambora opens up about his departure 11 years ago. The four-part docuseries premiered on April 26 and chronicles Bon Jovi’s decades-long career. Per TODAY, it features some original band members, including Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, and Tico Torres, as they tell their stories.
Sambora, Bon Jovi’s lead guitarist for three decades, left the band in 2013. His departure came while they were in the middle of their Because We Can tour. In the third episode of Thank You, Goodnight, Richie Sambora revealed that he left due to an “amalgamation” of things. Answering years of questions surrounding his sudden exit, Sambora says he had “deep family problems.” People Magazine reported in an exclusive that a source told the outlet about other contributing factors, such as internal tensions within the band.
The band’s frontman and founder, Jon Bon Jovi, addressed Richie Sambora’s departure. According to Digital Spy, Jovi claimed there is “no animus” between them, adding that Sambora can “just plug in the guitar” whenever he wishes to join. The singer said, “He [Sambora] knows three-quarters of the songs.”
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story also sees Jon Bon Jovi’s journey following his vocal cord surgery and rehabilitation. Other band members also recount their journeys as part of the band, their present standings with each other, and their current lives.
People Magazine reported that Richie Sambora lives in Calabasas with his family and also owns houses in Orange County and Hawaii. He continues to work on his career and writes his own music. Very recently, Sambora collaborated with Dolly Parton for her album Rockstar.
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story: Why did Richie Sambora leave the band?
According to TODAY, Richie Sambora reveals that “deep family problems” were the main cause of his departure from the band in 2013. Sambora claimed, “I spent so much time being on the road, and at that time unfortunately, my ex-wife (Heather Locklear) was having some mental health issues, and my daughter coming to an age where she could understand.” He added that they needed each other and that “we didn’t have enough time.” Sambora and Locklear divorced in 2007, but they reportedly still remain close.
Moreover, there were internal tensions within the band. Sambora claimed it was difficult “being part of one of the biggest bands in the world.” In Thank You, Goodnight, Richie Sambora said the band was “stale” and the time before his departure had turned “sour.” Meanwhile, keyboardist David Bryan alleged that Sambora’s personal struggles were causing creative limitations. Bryan said he was absent during studio sessions most of the time.
People Magazine reported in an exclusive that a source told the outlet about the “tensions in the band.” The source claimed, “Richie had a lot of personal issues. His dad died. Heather divorced him.” Additional factors that contributed to his exit was that the band “never took a break. They never even unpacked their bags. They did this for 30 years,” said the source.
The source said, “He [Richie Sambora] needed to be home with his daughter, take care of her and also take care of himself.” They further claimed that “Richie and Ava [his daughter] are very close. She means everything to him and always has.” The source also revealed that Sambora and ex-wife, Heather Locklear, are still “tight.” They added, “He just wants the best for her.”
According to TODAY, Jon Bon Jovi told People Magazine that “there’s never animosity” between him and Richie Sambora. Several sources had previously speculated that the duo had bad blood. Jovi also revealed that he and Sambora watched the “docuseries at (his) house” together.
In the final episode of Thank You, Goodnight, Richie Sambora opened up about his departure from the band. Sambora claimed he does not “regret leaving the situation, but I regret how I did it. Sambora reportedly did not show up for a concert date and never rejoined the tour afterward. He also apologized to his fans and former band members.
The same episode witnessed Job Bon Jovi recalling his and Sambora’s on-stage moments together which cannot be “replaced.” Jovi said, “The true magic of our live performance was when we sang together, calling it “our unique spot.” He said it was a “great combination that made one and one three, and I don’t think that’s been replaced.”
According to TODAY, Thank You, Goodnight revealed that Richie Sambora joined Bon Jovi in 1983 after Alec John Such, who was the band’s founding bassist, introduced him to Jon Bon Jovi. Jovi recalled the first time Such introduced Sambora to them. He said, “I knew that this guy was incredibly talented, he could play, he could sing, he could write, and I thought, he would be an incredible complement.” Sambora joined the band as a guitarist that same year.
Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story is now streaming on Hulu.
