Vince Neil’s 3 Kids: Get to Know His Son Neil, Daughter Elle, and Late Daughter Skylar
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- UPDATED MAY 21, 2025
by Kristine Bowman
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Vince Neil’s legacy stretches beyond his career as the frontman of Mötley Crüe—it also lives on through his children. The rocker became a father at just 17 when he welcomed his first child, son Neil Wharton, with high school girlfriend Tami Jones in 1978. He later had two daughters: Elle, born in 1983 with ex-wife Beth Lynn, and Skylar, born in 1991 with ex-wife Sharise Ruddell.
Though his career often kept him on the road, Vince remained close to his children. In his 2010 memoir Tattoos & Tequila, he wrote lovingly about Elle: “She’s very smart and knows what she wants… I love her so much, I can’t start to describe it.” He’s also spoken openly about the deep pain of losing his youngest daughter, Skylar, who passed away at just 4 years old.
Neil Wharton
Vince became a dad for the first time on October 3, 1978. At 17, he wasn’t fully prepared for fatherhood and credits his parents, Shirley and Odie Wharton, with helping raise Neil. “Obviously I wasn’t ready to be a father,” he admitted in a 2016 interview with Louder. Neil later followed in his father’s musical footsteps, leading the Mötley Crüe tribute band, Rock ’n’ Roll Junkies.
Elle Neil
Born in 1983, Elle is Vince’s second child and only surviving daughter. She pursued music as well, playing bass in her ex-husband Will Loomis’ band, Loomis & the Lust. Today, she identifies as a writer, singer, and bassist.
Vince and Elle have shared several sweet moments over the years, including performing together on social media. When Elle married Will in 2014, Vince proudly walked her down the aisle. He later marked the moment with a throwback photo for her birthday. In 2023, Elle and Will announced their amicable separation in a joint message, saying their marriage had simply “run its course.”
Skylar Neil (1991–1995)
Skylar was Vince’s youngest child, born in 1991. The two shared a special bond, and Vince lovingly called her “Little Vince” because of their striking resemblance. “She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and just a great smile,” he said in a 2010 episode of Celebrity Ghost Stories. “Everybody called her ‘Little Vince.’”
Skylar was diagnosed with Wilms’ tumor, a rare kidney cancer, and passed away just four months later, on August 15, 1995. “This ordeal is something no parent should have to go through,” Vince told at the time. “I wish no child ever had to go through it.”
Vince processed his grief through music, writing “Skylar’s Song,” a track on his 1995 solo album Carved in Stone. The song played during Skylar’s final moments. “Sharise sat by Skylar’s side as ‘Skylar’s Song’ played in the background,” Vince recalled. “Minutes later, Skylar passed away.”
In her honor, Vince founded the Skylar Neil Memorial Foundation, which has raised nearly $1 million for pediatric cancer, leukemia, and AIDS research. “Time heals, but it doesn’t heal all,” he said in 2011. “That’s the point of keeping her name alive.”
