Is Richie Sambora Married in 2026?
Richie Sambora is not currently married - but he is in a happy, private relationship. The Bon Jovi guitar legend, 67, revealed in a 2025 appearance on Billy Corgan's podcast The Magnificent Others that he had been in a committed relationship with an unnamed woman for more than two years. “To fall in love at 63, with the wisdom...” he said, describing a romance with a smart, healthy, beautiful woman around 60 that he deliberately keeps out of the spotlight.
Sambora's only marriage was to actress Heather Locklear (1994-2007), with whom he shares daughter Ava. After the divorce and several high-profile relationships - including Denise Richards and guitarist Orianthi - the rocker says he has learned what actually matters, and this time he is keeping it private.
Richie Sambora: Life and Career Background
Richard Stephen Sambora ( sam-BORE-a; born July 11, 1959) is an American musician, songwriter and singer. He was the lead guitarist, backing vocalist, and co-principal songwriter for the rock band Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013. In 2018, Sambora was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bon Jovi. He reunited with his former bandmates for a performance at the induction ceremony.
As a solo artist, Sambora has released three albums: Stranger in This Town (1991), Undiscovered Soul (1998), and Aftermath of the Lowdown (2012). In 2018, Sambora and Orianthi formed the duo RSO. After releasing two EPs, RSO released their debut album, Radio Free America, in May 2018.
Richard Stephen Sambora was born on July 11, 1959, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, the son of Joan (née Sienila), a secretary, and Adam C. Sambora, a factory foreman. Sambora is of Polish descent and was raised Catholic. He grew up in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, and graduated from Woodbridge High School in 1977. He played basketball in high school; his sophomore team won the 1975 Group 4 State title.
Sambora's first instrument was the accordion, which he began to play at the age of 6. He began playing the guitar at the age of 12 following the death of Jimi Hendrix in 1970. From his early days, Sambora was strongly influenced by blues and 1960s rock and roll.
Sambora was a guitarist for the band Message, and with that band put out a 1982 independent record titled Lessons. It was re-released in 1995 under the name Message, and in 2000 as Lessons. He was later in a band, Mercy, which was signed to Led Zeppelin-owned record label Swan Song Records, and then Duke Williams & the Extremes, who were signed to Capricorn Records. Sambora was also in an improvisational club band called Richie Sambora & Friends. He was part-owner of a club in New Jersey, and at age 19 owned his own independent label Dream Disc Records. Sambora's first professional tour was as an opening act for Joe Cocker in the early 1980s. Shortly before joining Bon Jovi in 1983, Sambora unsuccessfully auditioned for Kiss, to be Ace Frehley's replacement.
Sambora joined Bon Jovi in 1983, replacing the band's original lead guitarist Dave Sabo, who went on to form Skid Row. Alec John Such had been playing in a band with Sambora and joined Bon Jovi while Sambora was away in Los Angeles auditioning for Kiss. When Sambora returned home, Such promptly invited him to see the band play. Sambora was impressed with Bon Jovi after seeing the band perform live, describing the band as "magic", and he subsequently approached Jon Bon Jovi backstage and "gave him a verbal résumé". Though Sambora initially believed Bon Jovi was not interested in him, he received a phone call several days later inviting him to rehearse with the band. When Jon arrived and heard the band with Sambora, he hired him on the spot. That night, the pair returned to Bon Jovi's mother's house and wrote the songs "Come Back" and "Burning for Love", both of which would appear on the band's 1983 debut album. Sambora was the band's lead guitarist, and he also provided backing vocals. He played a major role in the band's songwriting during the early years of Bon Jovi's existence.
Bon Jovi's 1986 album, Slippery When Wet, spent eight weeks atop the Billboard 200. The first two singles from the album, "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer", both hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Slippery When Wet was named 1987's top-selling album by Billboard, and "Livin' On A Prayer" won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Stage Performance. The band won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Band at the American Music Awards and an award for Favorite Rock Group at the People's Choice Awards.
Bon Jovi's 1988 album, New Jersey, peaked at number one in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia. The album produced five Top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, giving Bon Jovi the record for the most Top 10 singles spawned by a hard rock album. Two of the hits, "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You", reached number one.
The Love Story: How Richie Met Unnamed
Sambora has not revealed how he met his current partner - or even her name - and that is the point. After decades of tabloid relationships, the guitarist told Corgan that this love is “a different way to fall in love,” one built on wisdom rather than whirlwind. The relationship became semi-public when he brought a plus-one to his daughter Ava's wedding in May 2026 - the first time the private partner had been seen at a family event.
It is a marked contrast to his past: his marriage to Locklear played out in the gossip pages, his on-off romance with Denise Richards was paparazzi catnip, and his musical and romantic partnership with Orianthi (2014-2018) included a duo album, RSO, before the split.
Who Is Unnamed partner? About Richie's Partner
Little is publicly known about Sambora's current partner beyond what he shared on the podcast: she is around 60, smart, healthy and beautiful, and the relationship has lasted more than two years. Sambora, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Bon Jovi in 2018, described falling in love at 63 as “invigorating” - “a different way,” in his words, from the rock-star romances of his youth. He has declined to name her, saying the privacy is what makes it work.
Richie's Dating History
Sambora married Heather Locklear on December 15, 1994, after a storybook courtship; they were one of the defining celebrity couples of the 1990s. They divorced in 2007 but have remained committed co-parents to Ava, reuniting warmly - walking her down the aisle together at her May 2026 wedding. After the divorce, Sambora dated Denise Richards (2006-2007, with a rekindling around 2012) and Australian guitarist Orianthi (2014-2018), with whom he formed the duo RSO. He has said the failures taught him what he was doing wrong - lessons he is applying now, privately.
Richie Sambora at 67: Career Snapshot
Richard Stephen Sambora was the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and co-principal songwriter of Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013, co-writing era-defining hits like “Livin' on a Prayer,” “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “You Give Love a Bad Name.” He left the band in 2013, reunited with his former bandmates for the 2018 Rock Hall induction performance, and has since released solo work and collaborated with Orianthi as RSO. His guitar work - melodic, talk-boxed, instantly recognizable - made him one of rock's signature players.
Family Life and What Comes Next
Sambora's daughter, Ava Elizabeth Sambora (born October 4, 1997), is a model and actress who graduated from Loyola Marymount and earned a master's in marriage and family therapy from USC. She married Tyler Farrar on May 16, 2026, in Montecito, California, with both parents walking her down the aisle - a joyful family moment that underscored how amicable the Locklear-Sambora co-parenting relationship has become. Sambora is close to Ava and has said fatherhood is his proudest achievement.
Richie's Love Life: Quick Answers
Still curious? The questions below cover the essentials - marriage status, partner, children and dating history“ if not past else ”the relationship, the history and the legacy, all answered with verified facts. For the deeper story - how they met, who came before, and what Richie has said about love - the sections above have it all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Richie Sambora married?
No - not currently. He was married to Heather Locklear from 1994 to 2007. In 2025 he revealed he has been in a private relationship with an unnamed woman for over two years.
Who is Richie Sambora dating?
He has not named her. He described her on Billy Corgan's 2025 podcast as a smart, healthy, beautiful woman around 60, and says the privacy is deliberate.
Who was Richie Sambora married to?
Actress Heather Locklear. They married December 15, 1994, and divorced in 2007. They share daughter Ava and remain friendly co-parents.
Does Richie Sambora have kids?
One daughter: Ava Elizabeth Sambora (born October 4, 1997), a model and actress who married Tyler Farrar in May 2026.
Did Richie Sambora date Denise Richards?
Yes, in 2006-2007, with a brief rekindling around 2012. He also dated guitarist Orianthi from 2014 to 2018.
How old is Richie Sambora?
Richie Sambora was born July 11, 1959, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, which makes him 67 years old.
Is Richie Sambora still in Bon Jovi?
No - he left in 2013, but reunited with the band for their 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction performance.