When Jon Bon Jovi agreed to let filmmaker Gotham Chopra follow him and his bandmates with a documentary camera, he did not anticipate the film would catch him at a low point. The “Livin’ on a Prayer” singer was struggling with a serious illness that threatened his career. He was unable to hit the notes that had made him one of rock’s biggest stars.
Bon Jovi rocketed to fame in an era when rock stars toured the world in jumbo jets bearing their name painted on the side. With their culture-pervading anthems and comedically big hair, the New Jersey-based group became the archetype of ’80s (and ’90s and ’00s) rock megafame.
While the band took influence from contemporary arena-ready hard rock bands, they carved out their own sound by marrying the bombast and riffs of hair metal with pulsing synths and irresistible radio-friendly pop hooks. Their second album, ‘Slippery When Wet,’ and its eponymous single, along with ‘New Jersey’ and the aforementioned ‘Livin’ on a Prayer,’ fueled their meteoric rise to global superstardom.
Yet their commercial success and celebrity status did not diminish their integrity or sense of responsibility. They are philanthropists who funded a health clinic and built housing for working-class families, as well as four Soul Kitchen outlets in New Jersey. They also established an annual fund for the victims of the September 11 attacks and hosted a concert at Madison Square Garden to raise relief funds.
The band has been through a lot together, including two breakups and three divorces, as well as the loss of their manager, Doc McGrath, to cancer in 2022. But the love that brought them together endures, as does their loyalty to their fans and their commitment to music.
When asked whether he is worried about reaching the end of his career, Bon Jovi replies with a joke: “I like to think of it as an old bull and young bull going down a hill, and they’re both looking at where they want to go. The older one says, ‘I don’t know how long I have left, but I’m going to ride this bull all the way down!’”
At 59, the crooner looks younger than his age and sounds healthy and in good voice. The affable manner with which he speaks, his bright white smile and his penchant for dispensing aphorisms that ring with wisdom, indicate he has learned to live in the moment. But he still loves to perform and has no plans to stop touring. Even if his voice starts to fail him, as it did in 2022, he will still get up there on stage and play for those who came to see him. For now, the New Jersey native is just trying to do it better than ever. And he’s off to a good start. Check out the latest photos of Bon Jovi.