1. Jon Bon Jovi is best known as the founder and frontman of the rock band Bon Jovi, which was formed in 1983.
41 Facts About Jon Bon Jovi
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Jon Bon Jovi has released 16 studio albums with his band as well as two solo albums.
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Bon Jovi was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Bon Jovi is a founder and former majority owner of an Arena Football League team, the Philadelphia Soul.
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Jon Bon Jovi's mother Carol, a former Marine, was a florist and Playboy Bunny.
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Jon Bon Jovi's father was of Italian and Slovak ancestry; the name Bongiovi comes from Sciacca, Sicily.
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Jon Bon Jovi's mother was of German and Russian descent.
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Jon Bon Jovi attended St Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey, during his freshman and sophomore years.
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Jon Bon Jovi later transferred to Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, New Jersey.
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Bon Jovi began playing music in 1974, when he formed his first band Raze and took part in a talent contest at his school.
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Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones, performing in clubs such as the Fast Lane and opening for local acts.
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At the time, Bon Jovi ran errands between gigs at the Power Station recording studio owned by his cousin Tony Bongiovi.
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Meco suggested that Bon Jovi sing "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas", which became his first professional recording.
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In March 1983, Bon Jovi called bassist Alec John Such and Such called experienced drummer Tico Torres and guitarist Richie Sambora.
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In 1984 and 1985, Bon Jovi released its first two albums.
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Bon Jovi has performed more than 2,700 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans.
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Bon Jovi was inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
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In 1990, Jon Bon Jovi recorded a soundtrack to the movie Young Guns II.
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In 1991, Jon Bon Jovi started his own label, Jambco Records, and produced Aldo Nova's album Blood on the Bricks and Billy Falcon's album Pretty Blue World.
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In 2012, Jon Bon Jovi recorded a soundtrack to the movie Stand Up Guys.
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In 2020, Jon Bon Jovi released a Christmas single called A Jon Bon Jovi Christmas, with three new holiday songs.
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Jon Bon Jovi is a credited actor in the films Moonlight and Valentino, The Leading Man, Destination Anywhere, Homegrown, Little City, No Looking Back, Row Your Boat, Vampires Los Muertos, U-571, Cry Wolf, National Lampoon's Pucked, and New Year's Eve.
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Jon Bon Jovi had a supporting role in the movie Pay It Forward, where he played Helen Hunt's abusive ex-husband.
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Jon Bon Jovi had a brief, uncredited role in the 1990 film Young Guns II.
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In 2004, Bon Jovi became founder and primary owner of the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League.
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Jon Bon Jovi appeared in several television commercials for the league, typically with John Elway, Hall of Fame quarterback for the Denver Broncos and co-owner of the AFL's Colorado Crush.
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In 2014, a group of investors including Bon Jovi made it to the final round of bidding to acquire the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League, but the team was sold to Terry Pegula, the owner of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League.
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On June 8,2024, Jon Bon Jovi opened a rooftop restaurant and bar in Nashville, Tennessee, located at 405 Broadway.
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In July 2007, Jon Bon Jovi announced a project that would rehabilitate a block of 15 homes in North Philadelphia.
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Jon Bon Jovi is one of 21 artists singing on "Everybody Hurts", a charity single organized by Simon Cowell aiding victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
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On January 18,2009, Bon Jovi performed a duet at Barack Obama's inauguration concert, performing the Sam Cooke song "A Change is Gonna Come" with Bettye LaVette.
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On December 15,2010, Bon Jovi was appointed by then US president Barack Obama to the White House Council for Community Solutions.
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In 2017, Bon Jovi raised money for Jim Renacci, a Republican representative from Ohio's 16th congressional district and then a potential candidate for Ohio governor with whom he had had common business interests several years prior.
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On October 24,2020, Bon Jovi performed at a drive-in event for Joe Biden at Dallas High School in Dallas, Pennsylvania.
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Bon Jovi is a close friend of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and former head coach Bill Belichick.
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Jon Bon Jovi owns two Super Bowl rings from the Patriots and has performed several times at the Patriots' home field, Gillette Stadium.
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In 2019, Bon Jovi received an honorary Doctor of Music degree from University of Pennsylvania and a second honorary doctorate from Princeton University in 2021, recognizing his contributions in music and social welfare.
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In October 2021, Bon Jovi tested positive for COVID-19 at a fan event in Florida.
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Jon Bon Jovi was reported as fully vaccinated and "feeling great".
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Jon Bon Jovi had recovered from the disease by November 12,2021.
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On September 11,2024, Bon Jovi helped prevent a woman from jumping off the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville.