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What is John Densmore’s Net Worth?
John Densmore is an American musician and songwriter who has a net worth of $14 million. John Densmore is best known as the drummer of the rock band the Doors. He played on every recording made by the band, contributing a distinctive drumming style inspired by jazz, blues, and world music. Beyond his music career, Densmore has done acting and playwriting.
Early Life and Education
John Densmore was born on December 1, 1944 in Los Angeles, California to Margaret and Ray. In school, he was part of the marching band and played timpani in orchestra. For his higher education, Densmore attended Santa Monica City College and then California State University, Northridge. At the latter school, he studied world music under jazz cellist Fred Katz.
The Doors
In the mid-1960s, Densmore joined guitarist Robby Krieger in the band the Psychedelic Rangers. Shortly after that, he started playing with keyboardist Ray Manzarek, Manzarek’s two brothers, and vocalist Jim Morrison in the band Rick & the Ravens. In 1965, Rick & the Ravens was renamed the Doors, with the lineup consisting of Densmore, Manzarek, Morrison, and Krieger. The next year, the Doors became the house band at the London Fog nightclub on Los Angeles’s Sunset Strip; they later became the house band at the Whisky a Go Go.
After signing with Elektra Records, the Doors released their self-titled debut album in 1967. It was a smash hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard 200 and launching the band’s breakout single, “Light My Fire.” Later in 1967, the Doors released the album “Strange Days,” another hit that peaked at number three on the Billboard 200. An even greater success was 1968’s “Waiting for the Sun,” which became the Doors’ first and only number-one album on the charts. It spawned another hit single, “Hello, I Love You.” The band’s fourth album, “The Soft Parade,” came out in 1969. That was followed in the early 1970s by “Morrison Hotel” and “L.A. Woman,” the latter of which was the last Doors album recorded before Morrison passed away. The band then released “Other Voices” and “Full Circle” as a trio. After disbanding in 1973, the Doors reunited in 1978 and released their final studio album, “An American Prayer.”
(Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images)
Butts Band
Following the disbanding of the Doors in 1973, Densmore and bandmate Robby Krieger formed Butts Band. Signed to Blue Thumb Records, the group released two studio albums with two different lineups: a self-titled debut in 1973 and “Hear and Now” in 1975. Neither album sold well, and Butts Band soon disbanded.
Theater Career
Densmore has been active in theater over the years. In 1984 in New York, he made his stage acting debut in the one-act play “Skins,” which he also wrote. The following year, Densmore created the music for the show “Methusalem.” Later in the decade, he co-produced the play “Rounds,” appeared in “Band Dreams and Bebop,” and developed and starred in a one-man show based on the Donald Barthelme short story “The King of Jazz.”
Television and Film
Densmore has appeared on a number of television shows. Among his most notable credits are episodes of “Square Pegs” and “Beverly Hills, 90210.” On the big screen, Densmore has appeared in such films as “Get Crazy” and Oliver Stone’s biopic “The Doors.” He also produced and co-scored the film “Window of Opportunity.”
Anti-commercialization Efforts
Since Jim Morrison’s passing, Densmore has been noted for his efforts to prevent the commercialization of the Doors songs, as Morrison had done during his life. In 2003, he vetoed an offer to license a song to Cadillac. Densmore also objected to Manzarek and Krieger touring under the Doors name and with the band’s logo. He went on to bring his cases to court, where he was supported by the Morrison estate and testimonies from a number of major musical artists. Ultimately, Densmore emerged victorious.
Books
In 1990, Densmore published his autobiography “Riders on the Storm.” The bestselling book recounts his life, career, and his close friendship with Jim Morrison. Later, in 2013, Densmore released “The Doors Unhinged,” about his lengthy legal battle with his bandmates Manzarek and Krieger. Among his other books is “The Seekers,” released in 2020.
Personal Life & Real Estate
Densmore has been married and divorced multiple times. He was wed to his first wife, Julia Brose, from 1970 to 1972. Densmore then married Debbie Fife. After their divorce, he wed Leslie Neale, with whom he had a daughter. Densmore married his fourth wife, Ildiko Von Somogyi, in 2020.
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