Jon Bon Jovi on Richie Sambora: He quit. He's gone

It has been confirmed by frontman Jon Bon Jovi that guitarist Richie Sambora won't rejoin Bon Jovi.

All of the status speculation on guitarist Richie Sambora and Bon Jovi has finally been put to rest thanks to journalist Roger Friedman at Showbiz411.

Friedman caught up with Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea at a film debut on Wednesday night and, during the course of the conversation, brought up the status of Sambora in the band. Bon Jovi said "He quit. He's gone. No hard feelings. Being in a band isn't a life sentence."

Trouble between Sambora and the band was nothing new, but it seemed to have come to a head in April 2013 when the Bon Jovi site posted "Due to personal issues, Richie Sambora will not be performing on this upcoming leg. All shows will go on as scheduled."

A report the next day from TMZ said the breakup was really about Richie's feeling that Jon belittles him along with regular disagreements over money. The New York Post also reported details, saying "Richie Sambora didn't jump – he was pushed."

In late-April, Bon Jovi insisted that Sambora was "absolutely still part of the band" even though he was left out of the rest of their Because We Can Tour. Since that time, Sambora has remained active developing a solo career although fans remained hopeful he would return to the band.

Bon Jovi also told Friedman he had been depressed over losing the bid for the Buffalo Bills, something that was severely opposed by Bills fans due to the rumor that Jon would move the team to Toronto. "I devoted two years to that project, but I'm coming out of it now."

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