Jon Bon Jovi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi in 2024
Born	John Francis Bongiovi Jr. (1962-03-02) March 2, 1962 (age 63) Perth Amboy, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	St. Joseph High School Sayreville War Memorial High School
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician actor
Years active	1974–present
Spouse(s)	Dorothea Hurley ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	4, including Jake
Relatives	Tony Bongiovi (cousin) Millie Bobby Brown (daughter-in-law)
Musical career
Genres	Hard rock glam metal arena rock pop rock country rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar

Jon Bon Jovi, born John Francis Bongiovi Jr. on March 2, 1962, is a famous American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is most known as the leader and main singer of the rock band Bon Jovi, which started in 1983. With his band, he has released 16 studio albums. He has also released two albums on his own.

In the 1990s, Jon Bon Jovi started acting. He appeared in movies like Moonlight and Valentino, Pay It Forward, and U-571. He also acted in TV shows such as ... and the City, 30 Rock, and Ally McBeal.

Jon Bon Jovi was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009. In 2012, Billboard magazine listed him as one of the "Most Powerful and Influential People in the Music Business". He was ranked number 50 on their "Power 100" list.

He also founded and used to own a football team called the Philadelphia Soul in the Arena Football League.

Early Life and Education

John Francis Bongiovi Jr. was born in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. His father, John Francis Bongiovi Sr., was a barber and a former Marine. His mother, Carol, was a florist and also a former Marine.

His father's family came from Italy and Slovakia. His mother's family had German and Russian roots. Jon Bon Jovi was raised in the Catholic faith.

He went to St. Joseph High School for his first two years of high school. Later, he moved to Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, New Jersey.

Musical Journey

Bon Jovi (right) with Jonathan King in 1987

How It Started

Jon Bon Jovi began playing music in 1974. He formed his first band, Raze, and joined a talent show at his school. When he was 16, he started a band called Atlantic City Expressway. David Bryan, who later joined the Bon Jovi band, was also in this group.

As a teenager, Bon Jovi played in a band called John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones. They performed in clubs and opened for other local bands. By 1980, he had formed his first band with original songs, called the Rest.

Around that time, Bon Jovi worked at the Power Station recording studio. His cousin, Tony Bongiovi, owned the studio. One day, a music producer named Meco was recording a Christmas album there. Meco asked Bon Jovi to sing on a song called "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas." This was his first professional recording.

Bon Jovi Band Success

Bon Jovi performing on the Lost Highway Tour in November 2007

In March 1983, Jon Bon Jovi brought together a new band. He called bassist Alec John Such, who then called drummer Tico Torres and guitarist Richie Sambora. These five musicians – Bon Jovi, Sambora, Such, Bryan, and Torres – became the first members of the band Bon Jovi.

In 1984 and 1985, the band released their first two albums. Their third album, Slippery When Wet, came out in 1986. This album became a huge success worldwide. By 2011, it had sold 28 million copies. Slippery When Wet had three songs that reached the Top 10. Two of these, "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer", became number one hits.

At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora played acoustic versions of "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive". This performance helped inspire the TV show MTV Unplugged.

As of 2019, the band Bon Jovi has released 15 studio albums. They have sold over 130 million records around the world. This makes them one of the best-selling American rock bands. Bon Jovi has played more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries. They have performed for more than 34 million fans. The band was added to the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2018, they were inducted into the U.S. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Solo Music Career

Bon Jovi performing in 2013

In 1990, Jon Bon Jovi recorded music for the movie Young Guns II. This music album is known as Blaze of Glory. He wrote a new theme song for the film, which became his first solo album. Famous musicians like Elton John and Little Richard were guests on the album.

The main song, "Blaze of Glory", reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1991, "Blaze of Glory" won an award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single at the American Music Awards. It also won a Golden Globe award. The song was nominated for an Academy Award and a Grammy Award.

In 1991, Jon Bon Jovi started his own music label called Jambco Records. He produced albums for other artists through this label.

His second solo album was Destination Anywhere in 1997. A short movie with the same name was made based on the songs from this album. Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg starred in the film. It was shown on MTV and VH1 in 1997.

In 2012, Jon Bon Jovi recorded music for the movie Stand Up Guys. The main song, "Not Running Anymore", was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2020, he released a Christmas single called A Jon Bon Jovi Christmas. It included three new holiday songs.

Other Activities

Acting Roles

Jon Bon Jovi has acted in many films. These include Moonlight and Valentino, Destination Anywhere, U-571, and New Year's Eve. He also had a supporting role in Pay It Forward.

He has appeared in TV shows like ... and the City, 30 Rock, Las Vegas, and The West Wing. He also had a longer role on Ally McBeal as a plumber who became Ally's boyfriend.

Sports Teams

In 2004, Jon Bon Jovi became the founder and main owner of the Philadelphia Soul. This was an Arena Football League team. He appeared in TV commercials for the league. He is no longer an owner of the Soul.

In 2014, a group of investors that included Bon Jovi tried to buy the Buffalo Bills football team. However, the team was sold to someone else.

JBJ's Nashville Restaurant

On June 8, 2024, Jon Bon Jovi opened a restaurant and bar in Nashville, Tennessee. It is called JBJ's and is located on Broadway. JBJ's is a restaurant and bar with a Bon Jovi and rock music theme. It has live music every day. The restaurant has multiple levels, and each level has a balcony that looks down at the stage.

The grand opening included a performance by Bon Jovi and his band. This was their first full band live show since their 2022 tour ended. Many famous musicians attended the opening. JBJ's also has a special machine that can show holograms of Jon Bon Jovi and his band. It can also "beam in" special guests.

Helping Others

Bon Jovi in April 2009

In 2005, the band Bon Jovi gave $1 million to the Angel Network foundation. This happened during a TV show appearance.

In July 2007, Jon Bon Jovi announced a plan to fix up 15 homes in North Philadelphia.

The Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation was started in 2006. It helps communities fight poverty and homelessness. On October 19, 2011, the foundation opened the JBJ Soul Kitchen. This is a special restaurant in Red Bank, New Jersey. At this restaurant, people pay what they can afford for their meals. They can pay with money or by volunteering their time. As of 2023, three more locations have opened.

Jon Bon Jovi was one of 21 artists who sang on "Everybody Hurts". This was a charity song organized by Simon Cowell. It helped victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Political Involvement

Jon Bon Jovi has supported many politicians from the Democratic Party. During the 2004 presidential election, he traveled a lot to support candidate John Kerry. He played acoustic music at rallies for the Kerry-Edwards team.

In 2009, he performed at a fundraiser in Manhattan for Hillary Clinton. This helped her pay off some of her past campaign debt. On January 18, 2009, Bon Jovi sang with Bettye LaVette at Barack Obama's inauguration concert. They performed the song "A Change is Gonna Come".

On June 24, 2009, Bon Jovi, Sambora, and Andy Madadian recorded a song. It was a message of support for the people of Iran.

On December 15, 2010, President Barack Obama chose Bon Jovi to be part of the White House Council for Community Solutions. This group helps communities.

In 2020, Jon Bon Jovi supported Cory Booker for President of the United States. On October 24, 2020, Bon Jovi performed at an event for Joe Biden in Dallas, Pennsylvania. On January 20, 2021, Bon Jovi and the Kings of Suburbia performed a song by the Beatles. This was part of the "Celebrating America" event for Joe Biden's inauguration.

Personal Life

In 1989, while on tour, Jon Bon Jovi secretly went to Las Vegas. There, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Hurley, on April 29. They got married at the Graceland Wedding Chapel.

The couple has four children. Their daughter, Stephanie, was born in 1993. They have three sons: Jesse (born 1995), Jake (born 2002), and Romeo (born 2004). His son Jake married actress Millie Bobby Brown in May 2024.

Jon Bon Jovi used to live in Rumson, New Jersey. He had his recording studio, Sanctuary Sound, in the basement of his home there.

He is good friends with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former coach Bill Belichick. He has two Super Bowl rings from the Patriots. He has also performed many times at the Patriots' home stadium, Gillette Stadium.

In 2019, the University of Pennsylvania gave Bon Jovi an honorary Doctor of Music degree. In 2021, Princeton University gave him a second honorary doctorate. These awards recognized his work in music and helping others.

In October 2021, Bon Jovi tested positive for COVID-19. He was fully vaccinated and felt well. He recovered by November 12, 2021. In April 2022, he talked about how his COVID-19 experience affected his songwriting. He said it made him realize how fragile life is.

On September 11, 2024, Bon Jovi helped a woman on a bridge in Nashville.

Music Albums

Studio Albums

• Blaze of Glory (1990)
• Destination Anywhere (1997)

Live Albums

• At the Starland Ballroom Live (2009)

Compilation Albums

• The Power Station Years: The Unreleased Recordings (1998)

Movies and TV Shows

Films

Television

See also

In Spanish: Jon Bon Jovi para niños