• Samantha Marie Olit was born in 1971 in Detroit, Michigan.
• She is a musician, singer, and businesswoman, and is best known for being the ex-wife of the late singer Chester Bennington.
• She has a net worth of over $2 million, earned through her success in music.
• She started her music career signing with an independent record label and creating a dance troupe called the Rhythm Kittens.
• After her divorce from Chester Bennington, she has worked as a life coach, meditation expert, and blogger.



Who is Samantha Marie Olit?

Samantha Marie Olit was born on 1 December 1971, in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is a musician, singer, and businesswoman, but probably best known for being the ex-wife of the late singer Chester Bennington, the lead singer of the band Linkin Park until his death in 2017.

The Riches of Samantha Marie Olit

Samantha Marie Olit’s net worth is conservatively estimated to be over $2 million. Part is earned through her success in music; she also benefited from the success of her ex-husband as well, since Chester had a net worth estimated to be over $30 million at the time of his death; although not specified, Samantha was awarded half of his estate.

Life and Career

Samantha Marie discovered her singing talent at a young age, and built confidence when she started recording through a neighbors’ studio. One of her songs was reportedly responsible for helping her adoptive mother recover, when she was threatened with a deadly illness.

As she grew up, she also became interested in dance, particularly burlesque, leading her to create a troupe called the Rhythm Kittens which she trained in several dance forms, including Latin, hula, jazz, hip-hop, and modern.

Wanting to continue her passion in music, she signed with the independent record label SAM Records based in New York The company was known for their activity during the 1970s up to the 1990s, and was operated by Daniel Class. Some of the most successful artists associated with the label include Komiko, John Davis and the Monster Orchestra, and Glen Adams Affair. During her time with the label, she partnered with the South African band The Narrow, releasing several singles with the group. She also became a contributor to the label, working with the Freddie Way Project. As her fame grew, she earned the nickname Punk Rock Mother Teresa.

Samantha Marie Olit and Chester Bennington

Ex-Husband Chester Bennington

Chester became interested in music at a young age, thanks to bands such as Stone Temple Pilots and Depeche Mode. He had a troubled childhood brought about by sexual abuse by an older male friend; his parents later divorced, and this brought more trouble his way, leading him to become more distraught. He went under the custody of his father, and started writing to help comfort himself. However, he was also introduced to addictive substances such as drugs and alcohol, and experienced bullying during high school.

After matriculating he pursued a music career, while working at a Burger King. His first band was called Sean Dowdell and His Friends, before he created his own called Grey Daze. The band recorded three albums together, but he eventually left over disagreements. He became increasingly frustrated as he could not find another band, but on the verge of giving up, he met Jeff Blue who introduced him to the band Xero, which consisted of members who would become Linkin Park.

He became close friends with the other vocalist Mike Shinoda, and with the help of Blue, the band secured a deal with Warner Bros. Records.

Linkin Park’s Success and Chester’s Death

In 2000, Bennington along with Linkin Park released its debut album entitled “Hybrid Theory”, to huge commercial success, named the bestselling album of the decade, as one of the few albums to eventually be certified diamond, and elevating the band to stardom. Following this success, Linkin Park continued to make albums with chart-topping singles, including “Meteora”, “Minutes to Midnight”, “A Thousand Suns”, and later “Living Things”, “Recharged”, “The Hunting Party”, and “One More Light”.

He also had a side project with a band called Dead by Sunrise, which released an album. He also fulfilled a dream when he became the lead singer of the band Stone Temple Pilots, helping with the recording of the extended play “High Rise”; he later left those projects to pour focus towards Linkin Park.

In 2017, the music world was rocked as rumors spread that he’d been found dead at his own home after an act of suicide. The band and even Olit made lengthy statements about him online. He was subsequently named as one of the best metal vocalists of all time.

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#iHeartLinkinPark #OneMoreLight

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He was also credited with being responsible for the mainstream rise of the genre nu-metal, which is a combination of the metal genre with other music genres.

Personal Life

Samantha Marie met Chester while he was a member of the band Grey Daze – the two started dating shortly afterwards, and married within a year. She was responsible for supporting him during the early part of his career, and was even credited for pushing him to have a meeting with Xero. The two have a son together, Draven Sebastien Bennington born in 2002, and he also had a child from a previous relationship.

However, following his success with Linkin Park, their relationship started to deteriorate, leading to divorce in 2005.

Since then, there’ve been no reports of new relationships for Olit. In recent years, she’s moved away from music and begun working as a life coach as well as a meditation expert, particularly with children and clients suffering from negative influences on their life. She’s also a blogger, and worked on a television show called “Hollywood House Guests”.

Author

As a Freelance Writer at Biography Pedia, I oversee the full writing process, from in-depth research to the development of compelling narratives, ensuring accuracy and excellence in our output. Our goal is to produce insightful profiles that deeply explore the lives of prominent figures in business, entertainment, and other fields. Through meticulous research and engaging storytelling, we spotlight the significant journeys and achievements of individuals who captivate and inspire our readers.

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