If you want to know how Richie Sambora achieved TMZ American Hero Hall of Fame status -- just ask Heather Locklear AND Denise Richards. Or ... just watch this story.

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Richie Sambora is out of rehab and has just landed in New York City, but he's not staying long -- he's rejoining the Bon Jovi tour.


Sambora told our photog at JFK he was feeling good -- which was evidenced by the fact he signed dozens upon dozens of autographs for fans.

He arrived from Los Angeles, but planned on heading right back out -- he's meeting up with Jon and the boys for the European leg of the tour. They are scheduled to play in Croatia on Wednesday.

Sambora checked himself into rehab in late April after, we're told, he fell of the wagon.

TMZ has learned, Bon Jovi's upcoming concert tour will go on, despite the fact that Richie Sambora will be entering rehab.



According to a rep for the band, Richie "will be absent from upcoming shows for the time being" -- but the rep adds, "We very much look forward to his healthy return."

We're told no shows will be canceled -- but the good news, Richie is still in the band.

Richie Sambora will be checking into rehab, sources confirm with TMZ.



We're told Richie has fallen off the wagon, and Richie made the decision yesterday to enter rehab.  We're told he has not checked in yet, but the plan is that he will enter shortly - possibly today.

Sambora has been struggling with substance abuse for years.  He checked into Cirque Lodge in Utah back in 2007, and again at the UCLA Medical Center that same year.

Sambora pled no contest in 2008 to DUI after getting popped in Laguna Beach with his daughter in the car.  Richie just got off probation last week for that offense.

Sambora has a concert scheduled with Bon Jovi on April 30 in New Orleans.  No word on whether the show will go on.

Heather Locklear is finally erasing the last trace of her 12-year marriage to Richie Sambora ... his last name.


Heather -- who filed for divorce in 2006 -- filed documents on Friday in L.A. County Superior Court requesting her name officially be changed from Heather Deen Sambora to Heather Locklear.

Heather also wants the name changed ASAP ... because she claims she needs a new passport with her old name attached by the time she travels abroad on October 25.

It's about time she got around to it.

Rock divos Richie Sambora, 50, Kid Rock, 39, and Jon Bon Jovi, 48, showed up to the same event in Detroit the other day.



Question is ...

Can you guess which rocker busted out their tummy rug while sunning in Maui this week?

Here's rehabbed Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora in his Babwa weave at an event in Hollywood on Monday (left) -- and Mike Myers as "SNL" persona Linda Richman (right).


Talk amongst yourselves.

We're just sayin'.

There's no place more dangerous in the world for a recovering alcoholic than a Blackjack table in Vegas -- but this weekend at the Hard Rock, Richie Sambora was in the mood to gamble...



Fortunately, the Bon Jovi guitar legend -- who went to rehab for booze in '07 and got a DUI in '08 -- only took a chance with the cards, because Sambora and his crew stuck to bottled water all night long.

That's a win in our book.

Looking like a homeless couple waiting for the bus, rehabbed exes Richie Sambora and Heather Locklear came together to watch their daughter Ava's soccer game in L.A. on Tuesday.



Alert their probation officers, because it looks like Richie and Heather are now dressing under the influence.

Richie Sambora pled no contest to driving with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher earlier this year with his daughter in the car -- but he doesn't think that's bad enough to get him on Santa's "naughty" list.