While some bands come and go, others remain together through years of success and struggle. Bon Jovi has sold more than 130 million albums, and the group continues to perform worldwide. The band has won multiple awards and is a staple of rock music.
Bon Jovi members began playing together as teenagers, starting with keyboardist David Bryan Rashbaum in a small town New Jersey band called Raze. They played local bars and were discovered by a talent agent who encouraged them to try out for a record deal.
Jon Bon Jovi grew up in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where he excelled at piano and guitar. He attended all-boys Catholic school until he was 16 and then attended Sayreville War Memorial High School. Jon played in several local bands, including John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones. He met bassist Alec John Such, drummer Tico Torres and guitarist Richie Sambora, and formed the band Bon Jovi in 1983.
The group’s first hit, Runaway, got them noticed by radio, but it was their tour that brought them real success. The band’s strategy was simple: write well-crafted rock songs with a pop sheen, play your heart out on the stage, and exceed the expectations of your fans. This strategy paid off, and the band quickly racked up millions of dollars in earnings.
Bon Jovi continued to hit it big, but in the 1990s the group stretched their talents and tried their hands at acting. Jon acted in a number of independent films, including Moonlight and Valentino, and appeared on a few TV shows, including Ally McBeal until the series ended in 2002.
In the early 2000s, Bon Jovi embraced country music and produced an album that featured country singers and musicians. This change helped the band re-energize their audience, and the band released more albums in this genre. The group also incorporated more heavy metal into their sound with the release of Black Ice in 2004.
By 2013, Bon Jovi was 20 shows into a major tour when Sambora abruptly left the group. He told the band he needed to take care of personal matters and asked if he could fly home on their private plane. He never showed up for the flight, and the rest of the band was forced to continue with their performance. Bassist Hugh McDonald and guitarist Phil X filled in for Sambora on the rest of the tour.
On March 9, 2019, the band announced that they were back in the studio recording their 15th studio album. It is expected to be released in late 2020. It will be the first album of its kind to feature only original members since the departure of Sambora in 2013. While the band still has its share of controversies, it is clear that they are far from over. The group has a strong fan base in all over the world. Their hits will likely continue to resonate for years to come.