David Lee Roth - Early Life

Early Life

Roth was born on October 10, 1954, in Bloomington, Indiana. He is the son of ophthalmologist Nathan Roth and Sibyl Roth and the brother of Allison and Lisa Roth. Dr. Nathan Roth was a renowned eye surgeon, who made millions via his practice and in real estate. Dr. Roth was even featured on the TV show, "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", in 1984. On that program, Dr. Roth claims that he was Van Halen's first manager helping the group obtain gigs in the early days. Nathan owned a 14,000-square-foot home in Pasadena named "Rothwood" and a chateau named "Bradbury". He was a writer, an actor, and a surgeon.

David is of Jewish heritage. He was raised in the Jewish religion. Many members of his family were surgeons: Roth has an uncle, Dave, who is a neurosurgeon; an uncle, Marty, who is an orthopedic surgeon; and a grandfather who was a surgeon. Roth's uncle, Manny Roth, is an influential New York City nightclub owner and entertainment entrepreneur who built and owned the New York establishment Cafe Wha? in the early 1960s, where the likes of Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix were performing and hanging out. Seven-year-old David Lee got his first taste of, and desire for, show business from the inside by hanging out at Cafe Wha?, as mentioned in his book "Crazy from the Heat" numerous times. His uncle would be one of David's first guests on his short-lived radio show on New York's 92.3 Free-FM.

After living in both Bloomington, Indiana, and Swampscott, Massachusetts, Roth moved to Pasadena, California, in his teens. Roth stated he bounced around a number of schools and spent three years going to a psychiatrist. He eventually attended a ranch for troubled teens where he cared for a horse to build a sense of responsibility. He was educated at The Webb Schools in Claremont, California and John Muir High School in Pasadena. He later attended Pasadena City College where he met the Van Halen brothers, Eddie and Alex, although he did not graduate. During this period, Roth worked as a hospital orderly.