Born James Joseph McGuinn III on the 13th July 1942, in Chicago, Illinois USA, he is a musician, guitarist and songwriter, best known to the world for being the founder and sole constant member of the folk-rock band The Byrds from its inception in 1964, until its final disbandment in 2000. Roger’s career started in 1960.
Have you ever wondered how rich Roger McGuinn is, as of early 2017? According to authoritative sources, it has been estimated that McGuinn’s net worth is as high as $3 million, earned through his successful career in the music industry. Aside from making music with the Byrds, Roger has released seven solo albums, which have also improved his wealth.
Roger McGuinn Net Worth $3 Million
Roger is the son of Dorothy and James McGuinn, who held jobs in journalism and public relations, but were also both authors as they wrote and published the book “Parents Can’t Win”, which soon upon release became a bestseller. Roger went to The Latin School of Chicago, where he became interested in music after he heard Elvis Presley perform his hit song “Heartbreak Hotel”. He persuaded his parents to buy him a guitar and was soon focused solely on music.
Inspired by many of the folk and blues musicians of the era, including Johnny Cash, Gene Vincent, The Everly Brothers and Carl Perkins, after finished high school Roger enrolled at the Old Town School of Folk Music, and began performing in numerous coffeehouses, before starting to work as a sideman for the famous group Limeliters, then the Chad Mitchell Trio and also for Judy Collins.
Furthermore, he struck up a connection with Bobby Darin, and in 1962 Darin hired Roger as backup singer and guitarist. However, Darin’s career was cut short due to illness, but still he stayed in music, opening a bar called T.M Music, and Roger became a regular performer on $35 per week – his net worth was rising slowly.
His next venture was recording with Simon & Garfunkel and Judy Collins, but soon he started performing at The Troubadour in Los Angeles, where he met and befriended Gene Clark. With the addition of David Crosby, Michael Clarke and Chris Hillman, they started the band called The Byrds in 1964, and although extremely popular during the ‘60s, they broke up in 1973. However, they reunited in the late ‘80s, and then again for a reunion tour in 2000.
The Byrds released a total of 12 studio albums, including “Mr Tambourine Man” (1965), which was their debut album, and reached No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The same year they released second album “Turn! Turn! Turn!”, and up to the end of the ‘60s released albums “Fifth Dimension” (1966), “The Notorious Byrd Brothers” (1968), and “Ballad of Easy Rider” (1969). Before their break-up, the Byrds released several more albums, including the Byrdmaniax” (1971), “Father Along” (1971), and “Byrds” (1973). Although their discography is quite extensive, the Byrds remain best known for their 1965 hit single “Mr. Tambourine Man”, which set the bar so high that Roger couldn’t repeat the creative idea he had when he wrote and recorded the hit single.
Nevertheless, Roger’s solo career was successful too, since he released a number of albums on his own, including his self-titles debut album in 1973, “Peace on You” (1974), “Roger McGuinn & Band” (1975), which included Bob Dylan’s hit “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”, “Thunderbyrd” (1977), and “Back From Rio” (1991) among others, the sales of which also increased his net worth.
Roger has also toured as a solo act since the early ‘80s, while playing with Bob Dylan and Tom Petty as well.
To speak further of Roger’s musical endeavors, he started the Folk Den internet website, on which he has posted covers of folk songs on a monthly basis since 1995.
Regarding his personal life, Roger has been married to Camilla Spaul since 1978, but was previously married briefly to Bedrick Susan, their marriage being quickly annulled. In 1966 he married Dolores Ianthe DeLeon, with whom he had two children before they divorced in 1971. Soon after his divorce he married Linda Gilbert, but they divorced in 1975.
Roger is practitioner of Evangelical Christianity.
