Richie Sambora dropping four new songs and teases tour news

Richie Sambora has shared the first of four new songs he's releasing week-by-week.

The former Bon Jovi guitarist has kicked off the series with the track 'I Pray', which will be followed by 'Livin’ Alone' (May 3), 'Songs That Wrote My Life' (May 10), and 'Believe (In Miracles)' (May 17), which were produced by the 'Wanted Dead or Alive' group's producer Bob Rock.

Sambora, 64, has no desire to top the charts with his new solo tunes and simply wants the listener to have an uplifting experience.

He said in a statement: “I’m at that point in my life where I am truly happy and a big part of that joy comes from writing songs and making music. There’s a tremendous freedom with these songs because I don’t have to think about charting #1 or what’s happening on the radio, but I still put the same craftsmanship, care and love into it as I did with ‘Slippery When Wet’ or ‘New Jersey’ and I hope they bring a similar happiness to those that choose to listen and push play on streaming services.”

A press release adds that: "The musician will celebrate his new music and body of work on an eagerly awaited live tour, with complete details to be announced soon."

Meanwhile, Bon Jovi are the stars of the warts-and-all docuseries called 'Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story', which is airing on Hulu.

The four-part series explores Sambora's exit from the band.

Jon Bon Jovi, 62, said: "There’s no shields up on this project. Everybody showed warts and all."

Jovi has just insisted he is ready and waiting for the day Sambora rejoins the group he quit in 2013 to spend more time with his then-15-year-old daughter, Ava, whose mother is actress Heather Locklear, and insists there is "no animosity" between the pair.

Appearing on Absolute Radio to promote the series, he said: "Well, it’s been 11 years and I’m still waiting for the phone call, so who knows what the future holds. You have to understand that there was never a fight, or a falling out, he quit the band 11 years ago in the middle of the night. There was no animosity, because being in a rock band, as glorious as it sounds, is hard work and he decided that being on the road with us wasn’t for him and he just didn’t show up anymore. That’s really what happened… he came to see the doc though, I watched the first few episodes with him. It’s all good."