Richie Sambora’s departure from Bon Jovi became a turning point during the band’s 2013 Because We Can tour. In a 2016 interview with PEOPLE, Jon Bon Jovi recalled that Sambora missed a Calgary concert after saying he would arrive on the day of the show. Bon Jovi said he learned overnight that Sambora would not perform—and summed up his view with the line, “He wasn’t fired; he just didn’t come to work.” That is Bon Jovi’s retrospective account, not an agreed explanation from both musicians.
What happened the night Sambora missed the Calgary show?
Jon Bon Jovi’s account appeared in a 2016 PEOPLE interview published by Yahoo Entertainment. He placed the incident in Calgary during the first leg of the 2013 Because We Can tour, describing it as show 21 in a run for which the band had a 100-show commitment. Both figures are Bon Jovi’s recollection as reported by PEOPLE, not independently verified tour data. Read the interview account.
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Bon Jovi said Sambora had recently been in Hawaii and asked to arrive on the day of the Calgary concert so he could get his daughter home and unpack. Bon Jovi recalled agreeing to the plan. Overnight, manager Paul Korzilius called to say Sambora would not make the show. Bon Jovi said Sambora did not perform with the band again after that night.
How did Bon Jovi handle the show and the rest of the tour?
Bon Jovi said he took on vocals and guitar for the Calgary performance. Phil X was called in to help the band finish the tour. According to Bon Jovi, Phil X had already covered for Sambora during Sambora’s 2011 rehabilitation period. The interview recounts Bon Jovi’s description of the practical response; it does not establish the band’s full internal decision-making.
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What did Bon Jovi say about why Sambora left?
Bon Jovi rejected reports of a fight or money dispute and said Sambora was not fired. His concise characterization was: “He wasn’t fired; he just didn’t come to work.” The phrase is Bon Jovi’s description of Sambora’s absence, not proof of Sambora’s intentions or a jointly agreed account of the split.
The same PEOPLE report noted that Sambora had said he left the group to spend more time with his family. Sambora did not return the publication’s requests for comment for that story. The available reporting therefore offers a limited family-time explanation attributed to Sambora, but does not settle his full reasons for leaving or establish that this was the only factor.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the former bandmates’ relationship?
A 2024 PEOPLE report said Bon Jovi and Sambora were not in contact at that time and again described the 2013 departure as being for personal reasons. That is a dated account, not evidence of their relationship in 2026. Read the 2024 report.
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