From a strictly personal point of view, 2007 was a lost year for Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora.
The 48-year-old New Jersey native and founding member of the band fronted by Jon Bon Jovi enjoyed professional success with the group’s latest album, Lost Highway.
But he had to overcome some private setbacks. He lost his father to lung cancer the same month his divorce from actress Heather Locklear cleared the courts. Then, during the summer, Sambora checked himself into detox for his drinking.
«Just because you’re a rock ‘n’ roll star doesn’t make you exempt from any of life’s tragedies,» said Sambora during a teleconference last week with fellow bandmates David Bryan and Tico Torres.
Bon Jovi has embarked on the 38-city North American leg of its Lost Highway world tour, which includes a stop at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Wednesday.
«The band was great in pulling me up,» said Sambora. «My mom and my friends, too, obviously.»
But it was the Bon Jovi band’s famous work-ethic that made the biggest difference: «About a week after I got out of detox … I went right back to work and started touring and promoting Lost Highway. Between the fans and the band and my faith, it got me through.»
Lost Highway is Bon Jovi’s 10th studio album since 1983, and continues with the country-rock swagger of its predecessors, Have a Nice Day (2005) and This Left Feels Right (2003).
With its strong country influences, Bon Jovi has redefined itself in popular American music. Its 2005 duet with Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles, Who Says You Can’t Go Home, went to No. 1 on the country charts, a first for a rock ‘n’ roll band.
Bon Jovi has sold 120 million albums and performed more than 2,500 concerts in more than 50 countries in 25 years.
In most of the that time, Sambora and the others have managed to stay out of the gossip trades. Outspoken and apparently comfortable with his celebrity status, Sambora doesn’t avoid public scrutiny; he usually manipulates it.
When his 12-year-marriage with Locklear failed, he suddenly hooked up with one of the actress’ best friends and fellow actress, Denise Richards. The two were arm-in-arm at the 2007 Grammy Awards, but the relationship ended a few weeks later.
Music, as always, propped him up. The Bon Jovi formula for success, said Sambora, is simple: Good songs and good shows.
«For me, our contemporaries are everyone from the Stones and Aerosmith to U2 and the Foo Fighters, bands like us that work really hard. … A lot of people who came out when we did fell off that mountain and didn’t make the cut.»
That doesn’t mean the ’90s were all that golden for Bon Jovi. They followed up late 1980s blockbusters Slippery When Wet and New Jersey with Keep The Faith, which went multi-platinum in 1992. But album sales after that trailed off.
With the new millennium and Crush in 2000 and Bounce in 2002, Bon Jovi was on another roll.
Around that time, the group’s main songwriters — 45-year-old leader Jon Bon Jovi and Sambora — started to make frequent sojourns to Nashville to hone their skills. Lost Highway’s I Love This Town, Bon Jovi said later, is a tribute to Nashville.
«We see ourselves as songwriters,» Sambora said, «and Nashville is filled with great songwriters.»
Turning to country was a natural progression: «Country music is actually something that I felt as I grew up a little bit that I was akin to.»
It hasn’t always met with acceptance among the band’s long-serving fans.
«I don’t know if that country feeling is true of our fans,» Sambora said. «But as far as those who come to the concerts, I think it’s really multi-generational. There are probably three generations (of fans).
«We’ve been around for almost three decades now. There are kids out there who think we’re a new band, who have been following us only for two or three records.»
Drummer Tico Torres said Bon Jovi has been going to Nashville off and on for nearly 20 years, but only with 2003′s This Left Feels Right did it get down on album its musical influences in the country music capital. It was one of the first duds in terms of sales in Bon Jovi’s long career.
«It didn’t meet with success with our audience,» Torres said, «but we were happy with it. I can’t say it’s something we’d want to do again, though.»
The success of Who Says You Can’t Go Home, which won Bon Jovi a 2006 Grammy Award for best country duet, was a complete surprise, said Sambora.
«That was something we all kind of scratched our heads about. We didn’t even know if it would make the record at first.»
Sometimes, hits have popped up in the strangest circumstances, Sambora said.
«Jon has told this story onstage many times, but when we finished the first verse of Livin’ on a Prayer (one of the band’s major hit singles), Jon said maybe we could give it away to a movie soundtrack or something. It didn’t really suit our style.
«But I said, you’re nuts. That’s going to be a big song, pal.»
Sambora’s faith was rewarded.
«Success in this business really comes down to good songwriting. … We’re on a constant quest and evolution and we’re not really too concerned about what others are doing and what’s happening in the music business.
«We’re really competing with ourselves now in what we are striving to do. When you have an opportunity to open yourself up to new experiences and influences (such as going to Nashville), it’s tough to walk away from.»
