Richie Sambora Departs From Bon Jovi Tour

Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi lead guitarist, will not continue touring on the New Jersey rock band’s Because We Can tour.

Sambora’s departure from the tour was announced on Bon Jovi’s website, in which the cause was vaguely described as “personal issues." The band also reassured its fans that the tour would continue on as scheduled.

The 53-year-old guitarist, who has been known to battle substance abuse, took to Twitter to relieve his followers' worry over his health. “Thank you everyone for your concern. I’m well, but had to stay in LA to take care of a personal matter,” Sambora wrote. “Love you all and see you very soon.”

Some speculate that the “personal issues” could pertain to an ongoing feud between Sambora and frontman Jon Bon Jovi. "It's a classic Jagger/Richards blowup," one source close to the band told TMZ, referencing the Rolling Stones bandmates. The source alleged that Jon Bon Jovi is condescending towards Richie, and that the pair has been fighting over money issues.

On April 2, the first day of the tour without Sambora up on the stage, Jon Bon Jovi called to the crowd, "I had two choices: pack up and go home or give you everything I got … Richie Sambora won't be performing for a while. If there's ever a night I need you, it's tonight, Calgary!"

The current leg of Bon Jovi’s Because We Can tour will wrap up on April 25 in San Jose, Calif. They’ll kick off the next leg of the tour in Cape Town, South Africa on May 7.

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