Erik Ritland
Table of Contents
Although Van Halen gets its name from the musical brother duo that founded the group, David Lee Roth ultimately became the band’s face. Known for his electrifying voice and vibrant stage presence, the Van Halen frontman was a pivotal part of the hard rock revival.
Today considered a legendary personality in the realm of American music and entertainment, David Lee Roth has set the standard for many rock and roll hopefuls that have come after him. Who is David Lee Roth? What is David Lee Roth’s net worth? Find out about his career, his wealth, and his personal life as we delve into the colorful life of Van Halen’s original leading man.
Who is David Lee Roth?
David Lee Roth is an American singer-songwriter best known for being the lead singer of the now-disbanded hard rock group Van Halen. He has also had a fairly successful career as a solo artist.
When Was David Lee Roth Born?
Born on October 10, 1954, David Lee Roth’s birthdate makes him a Libra. David Lee Roth’s zodiac sign identifies him as a creative, charismatic, and intellectual person who might struggle with indecisiveness.
David Lee Roth’s Ethnicity
There is not much information about the “Jump” singer’s ethnicity aside from the fact that he is a Jewish American.
Where is David Lee Roth From?
Although he was born in Bloomington, Indiana, Roth spent the majority of his younger years in New Castle. When he was a teenager, the future rockstar’s family relocated to Pasadena, California.
Where Does David Lee Roth Live?
According to the musician, he maintains residences in New York City, Los Angeles, and Tokyo, Japan.
How Tall is David Lee Roth?
David Lee Roth’s height is one of the factors that create the long, lean rockstar physique that was popular at the peak of his fame. According to records, the musician stands at six feet.
Related: How Did Eddie Van Halen Die?
How Much Does David Lee Roth Weigh?
Active in martial arts since his pre-teen years, the “Eruption” singer maintains a fairly active lifestyle even after retirement (which he demonstrated in an odd yet unsurprising video posted on Youtube).
Resources state that David Lee Roth’s weight is just about 165 lbs, which is lean for a man of his stature.
How Did David Lee Roth Become Famous?
In 1964, Alex and Eddie Van Halen had already formed a band they called Mammoth. The three-piece group would play small audiences at local high schools and local parties.
Since they didn’t have sound equipment of their own, they would rent a sound system from David Lee Roth at the rate of $10 per night.
During the time, the band wasn’t making a lot of money, and shelling out $10 every day was putting a dent in their wallets.
So to cut back on costs, they recruited the talkative, energetic Roth as their frontman (although he hadn’t originally passed the group’s auditions for the position).
By the time Roth wiggled his way into the band, he had made some major recommendations, including changing the group’s name from Mammoth to Van Halen.
With a new name and a new lead vocalist, the band aggressively pushed forward to find venues to play their music. They handed out flyers at local schools and parks, and they refused no opportunity to showcase their sound.
By 1973, the band had grown a small-yet-dedicated group of fans despite often receiving noise complaints and getting police called to their shows for disturbance of the peace.
Fortunately, they wouldn’t have to face the opposition for too long because, by 1974, the band was hired to play regularly at Gazzarri’s, a club on the Sunset Strip. Soon after, they also got weekly slots at neighboring establishments Whisky-a-Go-Go and Myron’s Ballroom.
Van Halen became a fixture across the Los Angeles nightlife scene, with one of their performances witnessed by Van Morrison’s guitarist. Knowing that his record producer, Ted Templeman, was in search of fresh talent, he made the necessary calls.
Templeman made his way down to the Starwood nightclub in Hollywood and watched the electrifying performance live. Surprised by Van Halen’s unique approach to hard rock, the record producer wasted no time and allegedly wrote a letter of intent on a table napkin.
The contract entailed two records which would earn the band members $0.70 per album sold. Although meager to start, the group snapped up the opportunity at a record deal.
Their debut album, Van Halen, peaked at number 19 on the Billboard charts and captivated listeners with its energetic, vigorous take on heavy metal and hard rock. Some of the best hits from the album include now-legendary rock songs like “Runnin’ With The Devil” and “Eruption.”
This was followed by nine months of touring, during which Van Halen would find itself opening for the already iconic band Black Sabbath. They wrote many new songs on the road and were able to create enough new material for their second album.
Their sophomore album, Van Halen II, was released in 1979. Its hit single “Dance The Night Away” peaked on the Billboard Charts Top 100 at the 19th spot.
Six years and five studio albums later, Roth had officially left the band. Although key personalities would give varying reasons for the split, it was obvious that creative differences between Roth, who preferred a lively, pop-inspired sound, and Eddie, who wanted to go a darker, heavy metal route, created a big enough rift for the members to go their separate ways.
Nevertheless, David Lee Roth would go on to prove that his talent wasn’t tied to the band. He released his first solo studio recording, a studio EP entitled Crazy From The Heat, just weeks before the split was officialized.
In 1986, Roth released Eat’ Em and Smile, which showcased the musician’s eccentric musical flair, combining hard rock with his early jazz and blues inspiration. The album earned the former Van Halen frontman critical and commercial success, placing at number four on the Billboard Top 200.
Related: Who is Van Halen? The Ultimate Biography
David Lee Roth’s Parents
David Lee Roth was born to Nathan Lee Roth and Sibyl Roth. His father was a successful ophthalmologist, while his mother had a blossoming career as a teacher.
David Lee Roth’s Siblings
David was the eldest of three. He had two sisters named Lisa and Allison. David Lee Roth’s sister Lisa is the creator of the popular series of CDs entitled Rockabye Baby!
The set included songs from popular rock bands, including The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles, which Lisa Roth had rearranged and turned into lullabies for infants and toddlers.
Who is David Lee Roth Dating?
Van Halen’s original lead vocalist remains the only member of the band who has never been engaged or married. Roth has, however, had a long list of girlfriends throughout the years.
Some of his most noteworthy romantic connections include Brooke Shields, Kathy Simmons, and Tawny Kitaen. Currently, Roth likes to keep his relationship status under wraps, so it’s not known whether he’s involved with anyone presently.
David Lee Roth’s Children
Roth makes no secret of his voracious appetite for intimacy, even commenting that back in the day, he would “sleep with any pretty girl with two legs.”
Needless to say, his flippant approach to sexual relations bore three known children, namely Avy Lee Roth, Brenna Roth, and Kevin Roth, who was the frontman for the band Bosworth.
While all three claim that David Lee Roth is their biological father, the musician himself has yet to confirm or deny these allegations.
David Lee Roth’s Net Worth
Because of his successful career in music and entertainment, it’s easy to see why so many people have developed a curiosity over David Lee Roth’s net worth. According to sources, the rock and roll legend sits on a hefty empire worth $60 million.
Related: Wolfgang Van Halen Biography
How Did David Lee Roth Get Rich?
Much of David Lee Roth’s wealth comes from his success with Van Halen. Tours, concerts, merchandise, and royalties ultimately led to the accumulation of his sizable net worth.
His solo career has also been profitable, although he has had his fair share of failures, including a line of tattoo care products he developed with tattoo artist Ami James. According to reports, the “Ice Cream Man” singer poured $7 million into the company only to have it close in 2022.
David Lee Roth’s Cars
Despite his fame and loquacious personality, Roth likes to keep a lid on his prized car collection. Not a lot of sources explore the artist’s arsenal of automobiles, but we do know that of all the cars he owns, a customized, cherry red 1951 Mercury roadster is perhaps his favorite.
The rockstar has also been known to drive a 1979 Mercedes Benz 450SEL and a 1969 Opel Kadett Caravan wagon. Takes a lot of cash to be able to afford those.
David Lee Roth’s House
David Lee Roth lives in a sprawling Spanish-style estate nestled in beautiful, lush landscaping. In one interview, the retired rock legend states that just the basement houses 13 bedrooms.
Although he isn’t too open about disclosing all the dirty details, Roth is also known to own properties worth millions of dollars in New York and Tokyo.
How Much Does David Lee Roth Make Per Show?
It’s tough to estimate how much revenue a musician is paid per show, but according to an interview with Sammy Hagar – the vocalist who replaced Roth when he left Van Halen – Roth was making $25,000 a night during his solo career. Not a bad price for a legend
By the time he reunited with Van Halen, they applied the same rate that Hagar was making to even out the playing field, bumping up David Lee Roth’s nightly income to $150,000.
How Much Are David Lee Roth Tickets?
It really depends. Tickets for David Lee Roth concerts cost an average of $110. Van Halen performances, on the other hand, averaged $220 each. Evidently he makes a pretty good salary.
David Lee Roth’s Tattoos
David Lee Roth is a heavily tattooed personality. His upper body features ink that drapes around his upper arms and entire back, leaving a vertical strip down his chest untouched, creating the silhouette of an open, short-sleeved shirt.
In 2013 and 2014, it’s said that Roth had spent over 300 hours getting tattooed in Japan. Most of the skin art was done by Horiyoshi iii, an equally legendary Japanese tattoo artist with over 45 years of inking experience.
Early Life
Born in Indiana, Roth recalls in an interview that he had been exposed to culture and arts early in his life. His mother was an educator who taught art and delighted in sharing her knowledge with her children.
The mother and son shared a tender relationship, and she would often take David to dress rehearsals for West Side Story or to local museums. Instead of locking her children up during storms and blizzards, she would let them outside and pretend they were pirates or eskimos.
His mother’s influence opened Roth’s eyes to the musical talent of his early idols, including Al Joson, the Beach Boys, the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Prima.
While Roth adored his mother, he had no emotional connection with his father. A busy ophthalmologist, Nathan Lee Roth had no time to get cozy and tender with his kids. Although David did remember going to the movies with his father now and again.
Despite the fairly normal experience he had with his parents as individuals, the growing rift between the husband and wife put stress on the entire household. When David was in the 9th or 10th grade, his mother had an accident while riding a horse and returned home from the hospital to a different woman.
This change fanned the flames of animosity between the parents, and they ultimately split when David was 17. That’s when he moved with his father to California, while his sisters and his mother stayed in Indiana.
Related: Cool Jimi Hendrix Facts
Career
With a professional career that spans five decades, David Lee Roth has become an icon in the world of American hard rock. In 2007, this was officially recognized when Roth was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside the band that made him famous in the first place.
As a group, Van Halen has won one Grammy out of three nominations, albeit for a recorded single that didn’t include David Lee Roth. On his own, Roth has had two nominations but has yet to bag a Grammy.
His colorful career has definitely had its high points, especially from 2007 to 2015, when he rejoined Van Halen to continue his role as its lead singer.
Other ventures, like The David Lee Roth Show and The David Lee Roth Band, might have been less commercially successful but were fulfilling for the multi-talented artist nonetheless.
Interestingly, David Lee Roth has also served as a state-licensed emergency medical technician in New York. According to the artist, he had roughly 200 9-1-1 calls on his ticket from 2006 to 2012.
Now retired from full-time performing, the singer-songwriter maintains most of his time and energy on painting, sketching, and dabbling in martial arts. Trained in kenjutsu, kenpo, and jiu-jitsu.
Today, the Van Halen frontman is remembered for his charismatic appeal and raunchy stage presence that gave the band a distinctive character.
Did David Lee Roth Have a Drug Problem?
Drugs were a prominent and recurring issue throughout Roth’s life and career. On one occasion, he had almost caused the death of fellow rock legend Ozzy Osbourne after a cocaine duel.
It is unclear whether Roth has turned away from narcotics for good, however, some sources suggest that his long-term use of various illicit substances may have altered his mental state.
Related: 10 Best Ozzy Osbourne Songs
When Did David Lee Roth Retire?
In 2021, Roth announced that he was retiring from the music and entertainment industry. However, the artist has since made on-stage appearances and live performances.
Are David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar Friends?
While they don’t make comments about their working relationship, the friction between the two Van Halen lead vocalists has always been apparent.
After Roth reunited with the band, he and Hagar alternated headlining positions, which allegedly caused tensions to rise as Roth expressed a desire to take more of the shows.
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