Jon Stevens facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Stevens
Jon Stevens (in 2011 or earlier)
Born	(1961-10-08) 8 October 1961 (age 63) Upper Hutt, New Zealand
Citizenship	New Zealand Australia
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1980−present
Partner(s)	Heloise Pratt
Family	Frankie Stevens (brother)
Musical career
Genres	Pop hard rock pub rock
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals guitar

Jon Stevens is a famous singer from New Zealand. He was born on October 8, 1961. He is best known for being the lead singer of the band Noiseworks from 1986 to 1992. He also played the role of Judas in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar in Australia in 1992. Later, he became the lead singer for the Australian rock band INXS from 2000 to 2003, after their original singer, Michael Hutchence, passed away.

Biography

Early Career and First Albums (1980–1986)

Jon Stevens was born in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. His family has both Scottish and Māori roots. His brother, Frankie Stevens, is also a singer. Jon started his first band while he was still in high school at Heretaunga College.

In 1980, Jon released his very first album called Jezebel. It was quite popular in New Zealand, reaching number 7 on the music charts and selling enough copies to be certified Gold. In 1981, Jon moved to Australia and later became an Australian citizen. He released another album in 1982, but it wasn't as successful. In 1983, he formed a new band called the Change. This band later added more members and changed its name to Noiseworks in 1986.

Noiseworks and Jesus Christ Superstar (1986–1992)

In 1986, Jon Stevens became the main singer for the Sydney band Noiseworks. This band became very popular. They released three successful albums between 1987 and 1991. These albums sold so well that they were certified platinum. Noiseworks also had three songs that made it into the top ten on the music charts: "Take Me Back", "Touch", and "Hot Chilli Woman".

In 1992, Jon took on a big role. He played Judas in a special Australian show of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar. The album from this show, featuring Jon's singing, was released in July 1992. It became the number one selling album in Australia that year!

Solo Music and Collaborations (1993–1999)

After his success with Noiseworks and Jesus Christ Superstar, Jon Stevens focused on his solo music. In 1993, he released his third solo album, Are U Satisfied. This album reached number 27 on the Australian music charts.

He also worked with other artists. In 1994, he recorded a song called "Don't Knock My Love" with Kate Ceberano. He also released "Last One Standing For You" with Black Sorrows. Jon even covered a song called "I Wish It Would Rain" by the Temptations, and all the money from that song helped farmers who were struggling with drought.

In 1996, Jon released his fourth solo album, Circle. In 1997, he recorded a cover of the song "Two Tribes" by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. This song was used as the theme for a big rugby league competition in Australia called "Super League." Jon also helped write the official song for the Sydney 2000 Olympics torch relay. It was called "Carry the Flame."

Singing for INXS (2000–2003)

From 2000 to 2003, Jon Stevens became the lead singer for the famous Australian rock band INXS. He joined them after their original singer, Michael Hutchence, passed away. Jon toured with the band for a year before it was officially announced in March 2002 that he was their new lead singer. They even went on a big tour across 40 cities in the United States.

In 2003, INXS, with Jon as their singer, released a song called "I Get Up." However, Jon decided to leave the band in October of that year before they released a full album together. Jon later explained in an interview that he left because he felt the band's creative process was too slow. He wanted to focus more on his own music and didn't want to spend months away from his family just singing other people's songs.

More Solo Work and Tours (2004–2011)

After leaving INXS, Jon Stevens continued with his solo career. In late 2004, he released his fifth album, Ain't No Life for the Faint Hearted. This album had a modern R&B sound and included a cover of the Doors' song "Light My Fire."

In 2005, Jon released The Works, which featured acoustic versions of songs from his time with Noiseworks. He went on tour with other musicians like Ian Moss and the Choirboys. Later, Noiseworks even got back together for a tour in 2007.

In 2011, Jon released a new song called "Just a Man." He also released two new solo albums that year: Changing Times in September and Testify!, an album of soul music covers, in November.

The Dead Daisies and Recent Albums (2012–present)

In 2012, Jon Stevens worked with a music production group called Silver Sneakerz. They created a dance remix of Noiseworks' 1988 hit song "Touch." They even performed it live on the TV show The X Factor Australia. Also in 2013, Jon's song "Fly" was featured in the movie Planes.

In 2012, Jon also started a new band called the Dead Daisies with guitarist David Lowy. Their first song, "Lock N Load," came out in April 2013 and featured famous guitarist Slash from Guns N' Roses. The band's first album was released in August 2013. However, in April 2015, Jon announced he was no longer part of the group.

Jon continued to release solo music. In September 2015, he released his ninth album called Woman. It reached number 86 on the Australian music charts. In 2016, Jon teamed up with Dave Stewart from the band Eurythmics. They wrote and recorded a new album together called Starlight. The first song from the album, "Hold On," was released in February 2017. The full album came out in March 2017 and was a big success, reaching number 16 on the ARIA Charts. This made Starlight Jon's highest-charting album ever!

Causes

Jon Stevens supports important causes. In 2012, he became a supporter of the "Oscar's Law" campaign. This campaign works to stop the cruel practice of "factory farming" for pets. This means they protest against places where animals are bred in very bad conditions. The campaign is named after a dog named Oscar who was found neglected in Australia. Other famous people, like musician Mark McEntee and comedian Mick Molloy, also support this cause.

Discography

Solo albums

• Jezebel (1980)
• Jon Stevens (1982)
• Are U Satisfied (1993)
• Circle (1996)
• Ain't No Life for the Faint Hearted (2004)
• The Works (2005)
• Changing Times (2011)
• Testify! (2011)
• Woman (2015)
• Starlight (2017)

Awards and nominations

Country Music Awards (CMAA)

The Country Music Awards of Australia (also known as the Golden Guitar Awards) happen every January. They celebrate the best country music in Australia.

Logie Awards

The Logie Awards are a big event that celebrates Australian television. They are sponsored by TV Week magazine and have been given out since 1959.

New Zealand Music Awards

The New Zealand Music Awards are held every year to celebrate the best music in New Zealand. They have been presented since 1965.