Jon Bon Jovi Clears the Air With Former Bandmate Richie Sambora: ‘Never Animosity’

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora are ready to leave their rocky past behind them. The new docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story actually ended up bringing them together after years of rumored tension.

“He came over and watched three parts of the docuseries at my house,” Jon, 62, told People in an interview published on Tuesday, April 23. “There’s never animosity.”

After three decades of performing in the band Bon Jovi, Richie, 64, exited the group in 2013 while they were on tour. The guitarist cited personal issues and the desire to focus on raising his daughter, Ava Sambora, with Heather Locklear, as his reasons for leaving the group.

“Ava needed me to be around at that point in time,” Richie told People in December 2020. “Family had to come first, and that’s what happened.”

Speculation grew that there was some turmoil between the musicians following Richie’s sudden departure from the band.

“Just to be clear for history’s sake, there was never any fight. There was never any animus,” Jon told Yahoo Entertainment on Monday, April 22. “He was never fired. It was never about that.”

“Unfortunately, he had some issues to deal with and chose not to come back. But we were literally on the road, and the train kept rolling … he ultimately chose not to want to be on the road with us any longer, and he quit,” he added.

Richie addressed his abrupt exit from the group in the documentary and why he felt like he couldn’t go on with the 2013 tour.

“I don’t regret leaving the situation, but I regret how I did it, so I want to apologize fully right now to the fans, especially, and also to the guys because my feet and my spirit were just not letting me walk out the door,” he told the camera.

Last month, Jon sent the internet into a tailspin when he claimed he was “not in contact” with Richie.

“Doesn’t mean that there’s not love forever, but it’s 11 years ago that he just didn’t show up anymore,” the Grammy winner told Ultimate Classic Rock on March 14. “And there were emotional issues that he was dealing with as a single dad, and there were substance abuse issues that, you know … Phil X had to show up one time, and then Phil X had to show up another time. And then, again, there’s a show that night. What are we gonna do?”

But now, it’s safe to say that there’s no bad blood between Jon and Richie.

“I look back at the accomplishments of the band, and my family, and I feel great pride,” Jon clarified.