Richie Sambora: If Jon Bon Jovi’s Voice Comes Back ‘I’ll Go Play’

Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora says he’s open to returning to the group if Jon Bon Jovi’s health improves to the point he’s able to tour again.

Sambora abruptly left the band in 2013 to focus on his family. He was replaced by Phil X, who has remained in the band ever since. Meanwhile, Bon Jovi underwent a procedure in 2022 to alleviate loose vocal cords that were hindering his singing ability. The rocker is still recovering, a process he’s admitted is taking longer than expected.

During an appearance on The Allison Hagendorf Show, Sambora confirmed he’d be open to returning to the band once the frontman has recuperated.

“The fans would just love it,” the guitarist noted. “It’s not finance [standing in the way]. It has nothing to do with that. The world could use it. But, as Jon said, he’s been having problems with his voice. And now he had that operation with some plastic thing in his larynx. And it’s an iffy thing at best. I don’t know if there’s anybody that has ever had that be successful. I’m not really sure about that.”

Sambora went on to reveal that he’d visited Bon Jovi since his operation, adding that he and the singer discussed the recuperation process. “Physiologically, it doesn’t seem almost possible,” the guitarist admitted. “Where your brain teaches this plastic thing how to [work]. Almost like you’ve gotta relearn speech in a way.”

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Still, if the procedure works as hoped and Bon Jovi is able to perform once more, Sambora said he’d be ready to rejoin the band.

“I would definitely go,” the guitarist confirmed. “If he gets [his voice] back, I’ll go play.”

Richie Sambora’s Solo Material Was ‘Earmarked’ for Bon Jovi

In recent weeks, Sambora has been releasing new songs, his first solo material in over a decade. During his conversation with Hagendorf, the guitarist confessed that at least one of the new tunes was originally planned for Bon Jovi.

“’I Pray’ was earmarked for Bon Jovi,” Sambora explained. “It was almost gonna be that ‘It’s My Life’ moment,” the guitarist continued, noting he and Bon Jovi would have dueted on the tune.