John Francis Bongiovi Jr, better known as Jon Bon Jovi, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as the founder and frontman of the band Bon Jovi. He is one of the most influential artists of all time, with some of rock’s biggest hits including ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’, ‘Always’, and ‘It’s My Life’. He is also a philanthropist, with the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation helping combat issues that cause families and individuals to fall into poverty.
The band formed in 1983 after drummer Tico Torres and bassist Alec John Such met at a New Jersey nightclub while on tour with a heavy metal group called Steel Dragon. When the Dragon disbanded, Such and Bongiovi decided to form their own band. They drew inspiration for the name from their favorite movie, The Godfather. The band’s first album was entitled Slippery When Wet, and despite a slow start, the album took off after the success of “You Give Love a Bad Name” and continued on with the top-ten hits “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Wanted Dead or Alive.” Lead guitarist Dave Sabo was replaced by Richie Sambora, who would become one of the band’s signature writers.
Following a hiatus, the band released their third studio album in 1986, Keep the Faith, which featured four U.S. top ten hits, including the power ballad “This Ain’t a Love Song.” It was also a hit in Europe and other countries. The album was certified platinum in the United States, and went on to sell more than 28 million copies worldwide. Its success was largely due to the international appeal of the singles, as well as the popularity of music videos that accompanied many of them.
Bon Jovi continued to release albums and embark on tours throughout the 1990s, with Jon making some notable acting appearances in movies such as New Year’s Eve and Cry Wolf and television shows such as Sex and the City and Ally McBeal. He also became a partner and majority owner of the Arena Football League team Philadelphia Soul.
In 2003, the band released a compilation album called This Left Feels Right, which rewrote, rerecorded, and reinvented 12 of their biggest hits. The record was a commercial success and helped the band to prepare for their 2005-2006 Have a Nice Day world tour, which sold out three nights at London’s Wembley Stadium. It was the highest grossing tour of 2006. In 2010, Bon Jovi was appointed to the White House Council for Community Solutions. He is a longtime advocate for children’s welfare and has spoken at several charity fundraisers for various organizations, including the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation and Habitat for Humanity. He has also founded his own foundation in 2006. His work in philanthropy was recognized when he received an honorary doctorate from Monmouth University in 2001. Bon Jovi also campaigned for Al Gore in the 2000 presidential election, and for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.