Bono facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bono
Bono performing on the Joshua Tree Tour 2017 in Indianapolis
Born	Paul David Hewson (1960-05-10) 10 May 1960 (age 65) Dublin, Ireland
Other names	Bono Vox
Education	Mount Temple Comprehensive School
Occupation	Singer-songwriter musician activist businessman
Organization	One Campaign
Spouse(s)	Ali Stewart ​ (m. 1982)​
Children	4, including Eve and Elijah Hewson
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Dublin, Ireland
Genres	Rock alternative rock pop rock post-punk
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica
Years active	1976–present
Labels	Island Interscope Mercury CBS Ireland
Signature

Bono, whose real name is Paul David Hewson, was born on May 10, 1960. He is an Irish singer, songwriter, and activist. He is best known as the lead singer and main songwriter for the rock band U2. Bono is famous for his powerful singing and exciting performances. His songs often talk about important social and political issues, and sometimes his Christian faith.

Bono grew up in Dublin, Ireland. In 1976, he met his future wife, Alison Stewart, at Mount Temple Comprehensive School. At the same school, he also started the band that would become U2 with his friends. As a member of U2, Bono has won 22 Grammy Awards. The band has also been added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Besides his music, Bono is a strong activist for social justice. He works to fight extreme poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa. He helped start groups like the ONE Campaign and Product Red to achieve this. He has performed at benefit concerts and talked to world leaders to get help for these causes. Bono has received many honors for his charity work. In 2005, Time magazine named him one of their "Persons of the Year." In 2007, he received a special award from Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom for his music and humanitarian work. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025, which is the highest award for a civilian in the United States.

Outside of U2, Bono has recorded music with many other artists. He has also worked with U2's guitarist, The Edge, on projects like songs for other musicians and music for musicals. Bono has also been involved in business, like investing in a hotel in Dublin.

Early Life and Nickname

Paul David Hewson was born in Dublin, Ireland, on May 10, 1960. He was the second child of Iris and Brendan Robert "Bob" Hewson. His family moved to Cedarwood Road when he was six weeks old, where he grew up.

Bono and his older brother, Norman, grew up in a Christian home with parents from different churches. His mother was from the Church of Ireland, and his father was Roman Catholic. Bono went to both Church of Ireland services with his mother and brother, and sometimes to Catholic Mass with his father.

He went to a Protestant primary school. Later, he attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School. Bono's mother passed away in 1974 when he was 14. Many U2 songs, like "I Will Follow" and "Mofo", are about losing his mother.

When Bono was young, he and his friends had a group called "Lypton Village." They liked to give each other nicknames. Bono had several names, eventually settling on "Bono." This name came from "Bonavox," which was a hearing aid shop in Dublin. "Bono Vox" means "good voice" in Latin. His friend Guggi gave him the name. Bono didn't like it at first, but he accepted it after learning its meaning. He has been known as Bono since he was about 14 or 15 years old.

Musical Journey

Starting U2

On September 25, 1976, Bono, David Evans (The Edge), his brother Dik Evans, and Adam Clayton answered an ad. Their schoolmate, Larry Mullen Jr., had posted it at Mount Temple. He was looking for people to form a rock band.

At first, the band played cover songs. But they soon started writing their own music. They called themselves "Feedback" for a while, then "The Hype." After Dik Evans left, the remaining four changed their name to "U2."

Initially, Bono sang, played guitar, and wrote songs. He later said he wasn't very good at guitar. So, he focused on singing. He sometimes still plays rhythm guitar and harmonica.

U2's Rise to Fame

Bono on stage in 1983

On July 13, 1985, U2 performed at the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium. This huge charity event had 72,000 fans and 1.5 billion TV viewers worldwide. During their song "Bad", Bono went into the crowd to dance with a fan. This showed his strong connection with the audience. Even though it made their performance longer, many people called it a highlight of the show. It helped make U2 and Bono famous.

Bono writes almost all of U2's song lyrics. These songs often deal with social and political topics. They also frequently include religious ideas. In the band's early years, Bono's lyrics were rebellious. Later, they became more about political anger. After a bombing in 1987, Bono spoke out against violence during a concert. He was even threatened by a group.

Bono (right) with Sting during A Conspiracy of Hope in 1986

In 1987, Bono also spray-painted "Rock N Roll Stops the Traffic" on a sculpture in San Francisco. He apologized for this action. By the end of the 1980s, Bono felt U2 needed a change. He told fans in Dublin that it was "the end of something for U2."

Changing Styles

Bono as his alter-ego "The Fly" on the Zoo TV Tour in 1992

U2's music changed a lot with their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. Bono's lyrics became more personal. During their 1992–1993 Zoo TV Tour, Bono created different characters for the stage. This was to be more playful and less serious.

One main character was "the Fly." Bono wore oversized sunglasses and leather. He acted like an egotistical rock star. He even dyed his hair black to match the character. He often stayed in character even off stage.

Another character was "Mirror Ball Man." Bono wore a shiny silver suit and cowboy hat. This character made fun of greedy TV preachers and salesmen. He would make prank calls from the stage, sometimes even to the White House.

Later, Bono created "MacPhisto." This character was like an old, worn-out devil. Bono wore a gold suit, platform shoes, and devil's horns. He spoke with a fancy English accent. As MacPhisto, he continued making prank calls, often to politicians, to mock them.

Bono loves to interact with the audience during shows. He often brings fans onto the stage or goes into the crowd himself.

U2 performing at Madison Square Garden in November 2005

In 2007, U2 faced some criticism. They moved part of their music business to Amsterdam. This happened before Ireland changed a tax rule for musicians. Their manager said it was legal and common for businesses to try to pay less tax. Bono said that about 95% of their business was outside Ireland.

Solo Work and Collaborations

In November 2022, Bono went on a book tour called "Stories of Surrender." He promoted his memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. For these shows, he read from his book and sang U2 songs in a simpler style. He continued the tour in New York City in 2023.

Bono has worked with many famous artists outside of U2. These include Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Green Day. He also worked with Alicia Keys on a song called "Don't Give Up" in 2005. The money from this song went to a charity called Keep a Child Alive.

Bono and The Edge have also written music for other projects. They wrote the music for a London stage play of A Clockwork Orange in 1990. They also wrote the theme song for the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, sung by Tina Turner. They also wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. In 2021, they worked with DJ Martin Garrix on the song "We Are the People" for the UEFA Euro 2020 soccer tournament.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bono performed a new song called "Let Your Love Be Known" online. It was later released as "#SING4LIFE" with will.i.am, Jennifer Hudson, and Yoshiki.

Singing Style

Bono performing in Amsterdam in July 2017

Bono is known for his passionate singing. He often sings in a high voice, using a technique called belting. He is classified as a tenor singer. One study found his voice could span three octaves in studio recordings. He often uses "whoa-oh-oh" sounds in his songs.

Early in U2's career, Bono sometimes sounded like English singers he admired. His voice changed as the band explored different music styles. He learned to use a wider range of sounds, from whispers to shouts. He also learned to be more controlled in his singing.

In the 1990s, Bono started using a lower voice. He also used a technique called octave doubling. This is where his voice is sung in two different octaves at the same time or alternating. On some songs, his vocals were heavily processed. This gave them a different emotional feel. He also used a high, operatic falsetto voice on songs like "Lemon". As he has gotten older, Bono has continued to change his singing style. He now uses more of a smooth, crooning sound than belting.

Activism and Charity Work

Bono with heads of government Tony Blair and Vladimir Putin, and musician/activist Bob Geldof in 2001

Bono has been very involved in helping people and fighting for human rights. He became interested in activism after seeing a charity show for Amnesty International in 1979. He said it "sowed a seed" in him.

In 1984, Bono joined other musicians for the "Do They Know It's Christmas?" charity song. He sang on later versions of the song in 2004 and 2014. In 1985, U2 played at the Live Aid concert. This event was organized by Bob Geldof to help with the famine in Ethiopia. Bono and Geldof later worked together on the Live 8 concerts in 2005.

Bono with then-President Lula da Silva of Brazil in 2006

In 1985, Bono and his wife Ali visited Ethiopia. They spent a month helping at a feeding center. This trip made Bono very passionate about helping Africa. In 1986, Bono and U2 performed on Amnesty International's "Conspiracy of Hope Tour" in the United States.

Since 1999, Bono has worked hard to raise awareness about Africa's problems. He was part of the Jubilee 2000 group, which worked to reduce the debt of developing countries. He met with many important politicians, including former U.S. President George W. Bush. Bono asked Bush to give money to developing countries. In 2003, Bush signed a law that created the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This program has saved millions of lives. Bush told Bono that the program might not have passed without his help.

Bono and then-U.S. President George W. Bush in 2006

In 2002, Bono helped start an organization called DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa). In 2004, he co-founded the One Campaign. This group aims to end extreme poverty and disease in Africa. In 2006, Bono also helped create Product Red. This organization partners with companies to sell products with the Product Red logo. A part of the money from these sales goes to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Companies like Apple, Converse, and Starbucks have joined Product Red.

Bono at a 2007 press conference for his NGO DATA

Bono has spoken at many events about his activism. He spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2006. He asked the United States to give more money to help poor people. He has also spoken at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland many times.

Bono with Al Gore at the 2008 World Economic Forum annual meeting in Davos

In 2007, Bono was a special guest editor for Vanity Fair magazine. The issue was called "The Africa Issue." It showed many celebrities and leaders who were helping with humanitarian work in Africa.

In 2021, Bono lent his voice to an animated series called Pandemica. This series aimed to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2022, Bono supported Ukraine after Russia invaded. He and The Edge performed in a Kyiv metro station. This station was being used as a bomb shelter. They did this to show their support for Ukrainians.

Other Creative Work

Art

Bono enjoys sketching and painting as a hobby. He learned to draw and paint on photos from his father. His father used to add color to black-and-white pictures.

In 2003, Bono and his daughters, Jordan and Eve, created original paintings for a book version of Peter and the Wolf. This book came with music by Bono's friend Gavin Friday. Bono's paintings were inspired by his father's death in 2001. They were sold at an auction to raise money for the Irish Hospice Foundation.

Bono's drawings of musicians who inspired him were shown in The Atlantic magazine in 2022. In 2023, he illustrated the cover of The Atlantic for a story about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. His artwork was a line drawing of Zelenskyy in the colors of the Ukrainian flag. U2 also sold merchandise with this portrait. All the money raised went to help Ukraine buy ambulances.

Film Work

Bono at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

Bono was an executive producer for the 1995 documentary film Miss Sarajevo. He also helped create the story for the 2000 film The Million Dollar Hotel, and was an executive producer for it.

In the 2007 musical film Across the Universe, Bono had a small role. He played a character called "Dr. Robert" and sang the Beatles' songs. He was also an executive producer for the 2018 film Waiting for the Miracle to Come. In the 2019 documentary Pavarotti, Bono talked about his admiration for the Italian singer Luciano Pavarotti.

Bono voiced the character Clay Calloway, a lion rock legend, in the 2021 animated musical film Sing 2. In 2023, an animated short film based on Bono's Peter & the Wolf illustrations was announced.

Writing

Bono's memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, was released on November 1, 2022. He went on a book tour to promote it. The book quickly became a bestseller. For the audiobook version, Bono won the Audiobook of the Year award in 2024.

Business Ventures

Bono performing with U2 in 2011

In 1992, Bono and The Edge bought and renovated the Clarence Hotel in Dublin. They turned it into a five-star hotel. They later sold the hotel.

In 2005, Bono, Ali Hewson, and designer Rogan Gregory started the fashion brand EDUN. The goal was to help Africa through fair trade, not just direct aid.

Bono was also on the board of Elevation Partners, a company that invested in entertainment businesses. This included a small share in Forbes Media and a share in Facebook.

In 2016, Bono invested in and joined the board of the "Rise Fund." This fund invests in companies that have a positive social or environmental impact. In 2019, Bono and TPG created Y Analytics. This company measures the social and environmental effects of investments.

In 2017, Bono was mentioned in the Paradise Papers. This showed he was an investor in a company that bought a shopping mall in Lithuania. The company later moved its ownership to avoid taxes. Bono welcomed an investigation into this, saying that transparency was important. The company later paid taxes and fines, and Bono ended his ties with it.

In September 2019, Bono joined the board of directors of Zipline, a company that uses drones for delivery.

Awards and Recognition

Bono has won many awards with U2. These include 22 Grammy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song. In 2005, U2 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Music critics often rank Bono among the greatest singers and frontmen. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him among the top songwriters of all time.

In 2003, Bono received the Legion of Honour from the French government. He also received the MusiCares Person of the Year award. Time magazine included Bono on its list of the 100 most influential people in 2004 and 2006. In 2005, the magazine named him, Bill and Melinda Gates as their "Persons of the Year."

In 2007, Bono received several honors. He was given an honorary Knighthood by the UK. He was formally given this honor in Dublin, Ireland. Bono and his DATA organization also received the Philadelphia Liberty Medal for their humanitarian work. Bono donated the $100,000 prize to DATA.

In 2008, Bono received the annual Man of Peace prize in Paris, France. In 2013, Time magazine ranked Bono as the 8th most influential celebrity. In July 2013, he received France's highest cultural honor.

In 2016, Glamour named him "Man of the Year." This was a first, as the award was usually only for women. He was recognized for starting the "Poverty is Sexist" campaign, which helps the world's poorest women. In 2018, he received the George W. Bush Medal for Distinguished Leadership. This was for his work against poverty and HIV/AIDS.

In 2022, Bono received the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding for his activism. In January 2025, Bono was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest civilian honor in the United States.

Personal Life

Family

Bono and his wife Ali Hewson at the 2022 Kennedy Center Honors Dinner

Bono met Alison "Ali" Stewart when he was 13. She was one year younger than him at Mount Temple Comprehensive School. After his mother died, Ali helped take care of him. They started dating in 1976.

Ali and Bono got married on August 31, 1982, in a Church of Ireland ceremony. U2 was in debt, so they couldn't afford a honeymoon. But the head of their record label, Chris Blackwell, let them use his estate in Jamaica. The couple has four children: daughters Jordan (born 1989) and Eve (born 1991), and sons Elijah (born 1999) and John (born 2001). Elijah is the lead singer of the band Inhaler. Eve is a well-known actress.

Homes

The gates of Bono and Ali Hewson's main home in Killiney, County Dublin

Bono and Ali have a main home on Vico Road in Killiney, a wealthy suburb of Dublin. The house has views of Killiney Bay. Bono's childhood friend, Gavin Friday, lives next door. Bono and Ali also own homes in the south of France and New York. In the early 1990s, Bono bought an apartment in Manhattan from Steve Jobs.

Faith

Bono has spoken about his Christian faith. In 2013, he said that Jesus Christ was either who he claimed to be or "a complete and utter nutcase." This idea is known as the "Lewis trilemma."

Health

Bono is almost always seen wearing sunglasses. This is because he has had glaucoma since the 1990s. This condition makes his eyes sensitive to bright light and camera flashes. He explained that his eyes swell up and turn red. So, he wears sunglasses for privacy, vanity, and sensitivity.

In 1996, Bono was on a plane in Jamaica that was shot at by police. The plane had minor damage. Bono, Ali, and their daughters were on board. The Jamaican government apologized for the mistake.

In 2010, Bono had a serious back injury while rehearsing for a U2 tour. He had surgery, and the North American tour was postponed.

On November 16, 2014, Bono had a bad bicycle accident in New York's Central Park. He broke his shoulder blade, arm, eye socket, and pinky finger. He needed five hours of surgery. Bono later wrote that it was unclear if he would ever play guitar again.

In 2016, Bono had a serious health scare. He later revealed in his 2022 memoir that he had open-heart surgery. This was because of a problem with his aorta. He made a full recovery after the eight-hour operation.

Discography

Filmography

In addition to his acting credits, Bono has contributed music to films, as part of U2 and other collaborations.

Honors

• (Chev. L.H.) (Knight): Chevalier dans l'Ordre de la Légion d'honneur (Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour), France (28 February 2003)
• (OL): Oficial da Ordem da Liberdade (Officer of the Order of Liberty), Portugal (21 April 2005)
• (KBE) Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, United Kingdom (20 January 2007)
• Commandeur dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters), France (16 July 2013)
• Presidential Medal of Freedom, United States (4 January 2025)

Images for kids

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  Bono at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

See also

In Spanish: Bono (músico) para niños

• Timeline of U2
• List of peace activists
• A. bonoi, a species of spider in the genus Aptostichus named after Bono