Jon Bon Jovi

John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (Perth Amboy, New Jersey, March 2, 1962), known by his stage name Jon Bon Jovi, is a musician, actor, American composer, philanthropist and record producer, recognized for being the vocalist and leader of the rock band Bon Jovi. Since 2009 he has been a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and since 2018 of the Hall of Rock and Roll Fame (in the latter as a member of Bon Jovi). In 2006 Hit Parader magazine placed him at number 31 on its list of The 100 Greatest Metal Vocalists of All Time ("Top 100 Heavy Metal Vocalists"), in 2012 he was ranked at number 50 on Billboard's Power 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the music business. music ("The Most Powerful and Influential People in the Music Business"), and in 2000 People magazine listed him as the sexiest rock star > ("Sexiest Rock Star").

His main influences include The Beatles, AC/DC, Deep Purple and Bruce Springsteen. He owns an Arena Football League team, the Philadelphia Soul. He is also the founder of The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, created in 2006 to combat problems related to families and individuals who are homeless or economically deprived.

Personal life

His mother, Carol, was one of the first Playboy bunnies; When the beatlemania began, she became a beatlemaniaca, that's why she wanted her son Jon to be as famous as The Beatles, so she began to encourage him to love music. She gave Jon his first guitar when she was seven years old. Jon took a few classes, but he didn't really enjoy them and ended up throwing his guitar in the basement. He stated that "I liked the sound he made falling down the steps more than any of those boring classes."

Jon Bon Jovi in 2013.

It was in high school that she told her parents she knew what she wanted to do for the rest of her life: "I'm going to be a rock star. She resumed guitar lessons and together with David Bryan they formed his high school band (Atlantic City Expressway).

As his high school classmate was accepted into the "Julliard School of Music," in 1978 Jon consulted with his father if he could move in with David to continue his vision of his dream, and so It was that they moved to New York. There, while David was studying, Jon worked cleaning floors at his cousin Tony's record company; there he met the members of Aerosmith, with whom he has had a strong friendship ever since. While he saw the work being done at the record company, Jon wrote his own songs, the one that caught his attention the most was called & # 34; Runaway & # 34;.

One day, while he was alone at the record company, he decided to record one of the songs he had written, while a radio station was having a contest to submit the best songs sent in by listeners. Jon sent the recording of 'Runaway', and it was heard by almost the whole country, as the song was a real success to the point that the dj put it on the station's record. Later, PolyGram Records decided to sign Jon to a contract, but on the condition that he get a band.

During the 1980s, he was romantically linked to actress Diane Lane, to whom he dedicated a song: You Give Love a Bad Name. The couple ended when Lane fell for Jon's partner, Richie Sambora.

At a stop in Los Angeles during the 1989 New Jersey tour, Jon Bon Jovi secretly made a trip to Las Vegas. On the trip, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Hurley, born September 29, 1962. They were married on April 29, 1989 at the Graceland Wedding Chapel. Jon and Dorothea have four children: Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, born May 31, 1993; Jesse James Louis Bongiovi, born February 19, 1995; Jacob Hurley Bongiovi, born May 7, 2002; and Romeo Jon Bongiovi, born March 29, 2004.

Jon and his wife are a couple very committed to solidarity and helping those in need. Together they created the Soul Kitchen, a restaurant in New Jersey. The particularity of this space is that it is not mandatory to pay. Those who cannot pay can contribute in another way; for example, doing some task.

This initiative is part of a series of projects that include the construction of homes for deprived people and a center for adolescent mothers and their children, among others.

Acting in politics

Although voter registration indicates Jon Bon Jovi is not affiliated, he has endorsed and toured with many Democratic politicians. He contributed to the campaigns of Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election, John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, and Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. In 2010, Obama appointed Jon Bon Jovi to the Community Solutions Council of the White House. There it has been charged with three key roles: recruiting leaders in the nonprofit, private, and philanthropic sectors to advance key policy goals; provide strategic input and recommendations to help the federal government promote greater innovation and cross-sector collaboration; and honor and highlight those who make a significant impact in their own communities. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humanities from Monmouth University, West Long Branch, New Jersey, in 2001.

In 2016, Jon Bon Jovi and Lady Gaga decided to support Hillary Clinton, singing the Bon Jovi song 'Livin' On a Prayer' together in front of thousands of supporters of the candidate, in North Carolina. music shook the attendees who sang the emblematic song.

Discography as a solo artist

• Blaze Of Glory (1990)
• Destination Anywhere (1997).
• The Power Station Years: The Unreleased Recordings (2001)

Filmography

Soundtracks

• Light of Day 1985 (chanting "Only Lonely")
• Spaceballs 1987 (Raise Your Hands song)
• Disorderlies 1997 (chanting "Edge of a Broken Heart")
• MTV Music Awards 1989 (Livin' On a Prayer/Wanted Dead or Alive)
• Navy SEALs 1990 (chanting "Boys are Back in Town")
• Young Guns II 1990 (BSO made by Jon Bon Jovi, with collaboration from Little Richard, Elton John, Jeff Beck and Aldo Nova. songs "Blaze of Glory", "Miracle", "Santa Fe", "Dyin' Ain't Much Of a Livin'")
• The 63rd Annual Academy Awards 2001 (TV)
• Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man 1995 (chanting "Wanted: Dead Or Alive")
• The Cowboy Way 1994 (Good Guys Don't Always Wear White)
• Destination Anywhere 1997 (chanting "Destination Anywhere")
• Armageddon 1998 (Mister Big Time song)
• Ed Tv 1999 (Real Life song)
• Rock Star 2001 (canción "Livin' on a Prayer")
• Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back 2011 (Bad Medicine song)
• America the Beautiful 2001 (TV)
• Avenging Angelo 2010
• Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed 2004 (chanting "Wanted Dead or Alive")
• The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection 2004 (V) (canción "We All Sleep Alone")
• Wild Hogs 2006 (V) (Lost Highway song, "Wanted Dead or Alive")
• Discovery Channel 2001–2003 (TV) (Wanted Dead or Alive Song)

Movies

Jon Bon Jovi has starred in 14 films as an actor. In 2009 he confirmed his definitive withdrawal as an actor in his biographical documentary; When We Were Beautiful, but in 2011 he was part of the cast of New Year's Eve.

• The Return of Bruno 1988
• Moonlight & Valentino 1996
• Leading man 1995
• Destination Anywhere 1997
• Homegrown 1998
• Little City 1998
• No Looking Back 1998
• Row Your Boat 1999
• U-571 2000
• Chain of favors (Pay it Forward) 2000
• Vampires: The Dead 2002
• Cry Wolf 2005
• National Lampoon's Pucked 2006
• New Year's Eve 2011

TV series

• Ally McBeal (he was co-star of the series in his last season (2002); his character was Victor Morrison).
• Sex and the City (appears as one of the many mistaken lovelies of Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker). His character was Seth chapter Games People Play in 1999).
• Vegas (appears in the Centennial chapter in 2005).
• The West Wing (appears in chapter Welcome to Wherever You Are in 2006, personifying himself. The name of the chapter takes the name of one of the album themes Have a Nice Day).
• 30 Rock Personating himself in the 4th season.
• Supernatural In chapter 15 of the 3rd season, with the song "Wanted Dead or Alive".
• "Stranger Things" In episode 7 of the second season, "Runaway" sounds.
• The Vampire Diaries In episode 23 of the fourth season it sounds "Bad Name" and in episode 12 of the fourth season it sounds "Wanted Dead or Alive".

Awards

Oscar

Golden Globe

American Music Awards

Brit Awards

Other awards and recognitions

• 1991: ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards: Best Film Songs Interpreted by Blaze of Glory of Young Guns II.
• 1997: Kerrang Awards!: Classic Composer.
• 1998: Echo Awards: Best International Male Artist.
• 2000: People: Rock Star plus Sexy.
• 2001: Humanitarian Award for the Year by the Monmouth Food Bank & Ocean County for their charitable work on behalf of the people of New Jersey.
• 2001: Honorary Doctorate at the Humanities Degree at the University of Monmouth in New Jersey, for his success as an interpreter and his humanitarian work.
• 2006: Help USA: Honorary Award.
• 2006: Introduced in the UK Hall of Fame (as a member of Bon Jovi).
• 2009: Introduced in the New Jersey Fame Hall.
• 2009: Introduced in the Hall of Fame of Composers.
• 2013: Centrepoint Award awarded by Prince William of Cambridge for his charitable work at the Soul Foundation.
• 2014: Marian Anderson Humanitarian Award.
• 2018: Introduced in the Rock and Roll Fame Hall (as a Bon Jovi member).
• 2019: Doctorate Honoris Cause in Music by the University of Pennsylvania.