Robby Krieger Net Worth

What is Robby Krieger's Net Worth?

Robby Krieger is an American guitarist and songwriter who has a net worth of $15 million. Robby Krieger is best known as the guitarist for the iconic rock band The Doors, one of the most influential groups of the 1960s. Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Krieger brought a unique blend of musical styles to the band, fusing flamenco, jazz, blues, and psychedelia into his guitar work. He joined The Doors in 1965 and quickly made his mark, writing or co-writing some of the band's most famous songs, including "Light My Fire," "Love Me Two Times," "Touch Me," and "Love Her Madly."

Krieger's slide guitar work and unconventional approach helped define The Doors' sound, which was built around Jim Morrison's poetic lyrics and Ray Manzarek's keyboard-driven arrangements. After Morrison's death in 1971, Krieger and the surviving members released a few more albums before disbanding. He went on to pursue solo work and formed new groups, including the Butts Band and later projects with fellow Doors member Ray Manzarek.

Throughout his career, Krieger remained an active performer and recording artist, occasionally reuniting with Manzarek for Doors-related tours. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993 and is widely regarded as one of rock's most innovative and underrated guitarists. In 2021, Krieger released his memoir "Set the Night on Fire: Living, Dying, and Playing Guitar with the Doors." It was co-authored by writer, documentary filmmaker, and former Dead Kennedys singer Jeff Penalty.

Early Life and Education

Robby Krieger was born on January 8, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. He has a twin brother named Ronny. As a youth, Krieger went to Hebrew school and attended the private college preparatory school Menlo School in Atherton, California. During designated study times at night, he taught himself how to play the guitar. Later, he was taught the flamenco guitar by scholar Frank Chin. For his higher education, Krieger went to the University of California, Santa Barbara. After joining the Doors, he studied under Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar at the Kinnara School of Music in Los Angeles.

The Doors

In the mid-1960s, Krieger joined drummer John Densmore 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 Krieger, Densmore, Manzarek, and Morrison. 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. Krieger helped the band become successful thanks to his innovative fingerstyle approach to the electric guitar and his wide-ranging musical influences.

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 in 1971. The band then carried on as a trio, releasing the albums "Other Voices" and "Full Circle." After disbanding in 1973, the Doors reunited in 1978 and released their final studio album, "An American Prayer."

Butts Band

Following the disbanding of the Doors in 1973, Krieger and bandmate John Densmore 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 disbanded in 1975.

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Solo Career

After Butts Band disbanded in 1975, Krieger embarked on a solo career. His first solo album was "Robbie Krieger & Friends," which was released in 1977; he also designed the cover art for the album, showing him standing with his guitar in a desert. Krieger's next album was "Versions," released in 1982; it featured appearances from his former Doors bandmates Densmore and Manzarek. His self-titled third solo album, an entirely instrumental album, came out in 1985. Four years later, Krieger released "No Habla" and the compilation album "Door Jams." He didn't release another solo album until 2000, with the instrumental fusion album "Cinematix." A decade later, Krieger released "Singularity," which went on to earn a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Album. After another decade, he released "The Ritual Begins at Sundown."

Other Projects

In 1991, Krieger formed the Robby Krieger Band, featuring his son Waylon on guitar, Berry Oakley Jr. on bass, Dale Alexander on keyboards, and Ray Mehlbaum on drums.

Concert Collaborations

In 2008, Krieger played with Animals singer Eric Burdon in a concert at Ventura Beach in California. The concert was released on DVD by ZYX Records. In 2012, he toured with the Roadhouse Rebels, and in 2013 played with the Southern rock jam band Gov't Mule in New York City. Later, in 2018, Krieger joined Alice in Chains at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles to close out the band's concert.

Personal Life & Real Estate

With his wife Lynn, Krieger has a son named Waylon. They previously lived in a custom-built, hexagonal home in Bel Air featuring 6,600 square feet of living space on a 1.4-acre property. They lived there through the early 1970s. In the 1990s, Fred Durst owned the home. In 2018, a different owner sold it for $9.6 million. Here's a video tour of Robby Krieger's former Bel-Air mansion:

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