Richie Sambora

Raised in the humble, swampside locale of Woodbridge, New Jersey, Richie Sambora -- the gifted lead guitarist of the multi-million-selling rock act, Bon Jovi -- was initially inspired by blues-based icons of the 1960s such as Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Following a self-released eponymous 1980 hard rock album with an act called Message that he had co-founded with the late Dean Fasano, Sambora took a two-week trip to Los Angeles to audition for a place in Kiss. Although the audition was unsuccessful, on his return to New Jersey a reassuring friend suggested that he make cont...