Bon Jovi

After 20 years, and 100,000,000 albums sold, Bon Jovi continues to record and tour. He also has appeared in Totally Blonde in 2001 and in The Snow Walker in 2003. The band continues to re-invent itself, and a new album is due for release in spring 2005. Bublé has also appeared in a variety of films in the past few years including his appearance as a karaoke singer in Duets opposite Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis. Successful albums since then have included "New Jersey" (1988), "Keep the Faith" (1992), "Crossroads" (1994), "These Days" (1995), "Crush" (2000), "Bounce" (2002), "This Left Feels Right" (2003) and "100,000,000 Fans Can't Be Wrong" (2004). The album also reached the Australian top 50 of the album charts as at the end of April and the Billboard 200 album charts. While he has not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live bass duties since then. He released a live album and video in April 2004 with the video reaching the top 10 of the Billboard video charts.

Alec John Such left the band in the early 1990s. The title track reached the Australian top 40 in the singles charts, ironically in mid-summer in that country. Jon has tended to sing slightly lower since then. Bublé released a Christmas EP Let It Snow in late 2003. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through the tour. Bublé won the "Best New Talent" award at the Juno Awards of 2004 and his self-titled album was nominated for "Album of the Year" losing out to Sam Roberts. The extreme high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage his voice permanently. His third single "Sway", originally performed by Dean Martin also reached the top 30 of the adult contemporary chart while a Junkie XL remix of the song has reached the top 20 in Australia as at May 2004.

On the tour that followed, Jon began having vocal difficulties. "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" reached the top 30 of the Billboard adult contemporary chart as well. Their third album, Slippery When Wet, shot the band to superstar status around the world with hits such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The album has sold in excess of twelve million copies since its release in late 1986. His version of "Kissing A Fool" by George Michael was released as a single from the album and reached the top 30 of the Billboard adult contemporary chart. The guys found themselves opening for ZZ Top at the Madison Square Garden (before their first album had been released), Scorpions and KISS (in Europe). The album has reached the top 50 of the Billboard 200 album charts. The album went gold (sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK. Chart success in the UK, US, Australia and elsewhere soon followed with the album going platinum and reaching the top ten of the album charts in the UK and Canada and going all the way to #1 in Australia.

The debut album came out on January 21, 1984. The album was released in early 2003 and soon entered the Canadian album charts. At one show, where they opened for Scandal, the band caught the attention of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram. Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees sang back up vocals on Bublé's version of the group's "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart". He had quit the band he and Jon founded to go to college, then quit college to go to Juilliard School, the famous classical music school. The album features a range of standards from various eras including "Fever", "The Way You Look Tonight", "For Once In My Life", Van Morrison's "Moondance" and Lou Rawls' "You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine". David Bryan was a natural recruit. Foster signed Bublé to his '143' record label and he started recording a self-titled album 2001 with Foster as producer.

He had played on about 26 records and had just recorded his third album with Frankie and the Knockouts (a Jersey band with hit singles in the early 1980s). Mulroney introduced Bublé to David Foster, a multi-Grammy awarding producer and a Warner Brothers record executive who had worked with Josh Groban previously. He had jammed with Miles Davis and played live with the Marvelettes and Chuck Berry. Michael Bublé's career breakthrough came when he sang Kurt Weill's "Mack The Knife" at the wedding of Brian Mulroney's daughter Caroline in 2000. Tico Torres was also an experienced musician by then. Bublé received two Genie Awards in 2000 for songs he wrote for the film Here's To Life starring Eric McCormack. He also played in the album "Lessons" with the band Message, that has been recently rereleased in CD through Long Island Records. He recorded a couple of independent albums one as a present to his grandfather.

Before joining Bon Jovi, Richie had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for KISS. He also appeared in an episode of Death Game in 1996. Alec talked Jon into letting Richie show what he could do, and Jon loved it. He appeared as Elvis in a Red Rock Diner road show and sung as a star of a musical revue called Forever Swing. A succession of guitarists (including Dave Sabo, who went on to Skid Row) followed, until Richie Sambora signed on. For the next few years, Michael Bublé pursued a musical career without great success. Jon gave Dave a call, who in turn called Alec John Such and Tico Torres. Not discouraged, Bublé won first prize in a Canadian Youth Talent Search at the age of 17.

The members of Bon Jovi had crossed paths in these early days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March of 1983 after "Runaway" which hit No.39 on the singles chart. Bublé's grandfather encouraged him to learn the standards that he loved and to enter a talent contest in Vancouver which he won before a later disqualification for being underage. Jon desperately needed a band. I wanted to be a singer and I knew that this was the music that I wanted to sing.". The studio musicians who helped Jon to record "Runaway" were known as "The All Star Review" and they were Tim Pierce (guitar), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Frankie LaRocka (drums) and Hugh McDonald (bass). It was like seeing my future flash before me. After it won the contest, it quickly became a popular song in the New York City area in the summer of 1983. the way a song should be for me.

Jon used studio musicians to play on the track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). The lyrics were so romantic, so real.. In 1983, a local radio station, WAPT, had a contest to search for the best unsigned band. Although I like rock & roll and modern music, the first time my granddad played me the Mills Brothers, something magical happened. At nineteen, Jon had his first recording experience, singing the song "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" on a Star Wars Christmas album, "Christmas With the Stars", with music by John Williams, produced by Tony Bongiovi at the Power Station and released on the RSO label. He was the one who opened me up to a whole world of music that seemed to have been passed over by my generation. Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies - but failed to make an impact. "My grandfather was really my best friend growing up.

By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time - including in a shoe store - Jon finally got a job at the Power Station Studios, a New York recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was the co-owner. On his website Bublé highlights the importance of his grandfather in encouraging his musical tastes. Still in his teens, Jon played in the band Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones, playing New Jersey clubs like the Fast Lane and opening for known acts in the area. He grew up listening to his grandfather's collection of jazz records. They played at New Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. Michael Bublé was born in Burnaby, British Columbia in 1975. At 16 Jon met David Bryan (David Bryan Rashbaum) in high school (Sayreville War Memorial High School ) and founded an R&B cover band with him named Atlantic City Expressway. A 2004 live album and video "Come Fly With Me" is in the Billboard music video charts as at May 1 2004 and has reached the top 40 album charts in Australia.

At that same age, Bongiovi founded his first band, called Raze. While achieving modest chart success in the US, his 2003 self-titled album has reached the top ten in Canada, the UK and Australia. Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (John Bongiovi) began to play piano and guitar at thirteen, using Elton John songs. Michael Bublé (born 9 September 1975) is a Canadian crooner jazz singer and actor. It has been a band which inspired lots of today's bands, and also created the "Unplugged" style of performing on a MTV award show. CTV article (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1047339541736_98/?hub=Entertainment/). Bon Jovi have sometimes been classified as Hair metal - sometimes even regarded as the form's prime shapers - but have proved much more durable than most groups so labeled. Internet Movie Database entry (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0117826/).

Bon Jovi is a rock band from New Jersey, USA that sold more than 100 million albums in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and played live concerts in major cities in Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada and South America, in addition to a large number of cities in the USA. VH1 Michael Bublé artist page (http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/buble_michael/albums.jhtml/). 2003 "All About Lovin' You" #9 UK, #31 AU. Michael Bublé home page (http://www.michaelbuble.com/home.php/). 2002 "Misunderstood" #21 UK, #33 AU. The Snow Walker (2003). 2002 "Everyday" #5 UK, #5 AU. Totally Blonde (2001).

2001 "One Wild Night" #10 UK, #35 AU. Duets (2000). 2000 "Thank You for Loving Me" #12 UK, #34 AU. It's Time (2005). 2000 "Say It Isn't So" #10 UK, #9 AU. Come Fly With Me (2004). 2000 "It's My Life" #33 US, #3 UK, #5 AU. Let It Snow (EP) (2003).

1999 "Real Life" #21 UK, #52 AU. Michael Bublé (2003). 1996 "Hey God" #13 UK. Dream (2002). 1996 "These Days" #7 UK, #38 AU. Babulu (2001). 1995 "Lie to Me" #10 UK, #20 AU.

1995 "Something for the Pain" #8 UK, #14 AU. 1995 "This Ain't a Love Song" #14 US, #6 UK, #4 AU. 1995 "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" #7 UK, #10 AU. 1994 "Please Come Home for Christmas" #7 UK.

1994 "Always" #4 US, #2 UK, #2 AU. 1994 "Dry County" #9 UK, #31 AU. 1993 "I Believe" #11 UK, #40 AU. 1993 "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" #17 UK, #24 AU.

1993 "In These Arms" #27 US, #9 UK, #10 AU. 1993 "Bed of Roses" #10 US, #13 UK, #10 AU. 1992 "Keep the Faith" #28 US, #5 UK, #10 AU. 1989 "Living in Sin" #9 US, #35 UK.

1989 "Lay Your Hands on Me" #7 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. 1989 "I'll Be There for You" #1 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. 1988 "Born to Be My Baby" #3 US, #22 UK, #30 AU. 1988 "Bad Medicine" #1 US, #17 UK, #15 AU.

1987 "Never Say Goodbye" #21 UK. 1987 "Wanted Dead or Alive" #7 US, #13 UK. 1986 "Livin' on a Prayer" #1 US, #4 UK. 1986 "You Give Love a Bad Name" #1 US, #14 UK.

1984 "Runaway" #39 US. 100 Million Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (Box Set) (Nov 2004). This Left Feels Right (2003); #14 US, #4 UK. Bounce (October 2002); #2 US, #2 UK, US sales: 500,000.

One Wild Night Live 1985-2001 (May 2001); #20 US, #2 UK. Crush (June 2000); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. These Days (July 1995); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 1,000,000. Crossroad (October 1994); #8 US, #1 UK, US sales: 4,000,000.

Keep the Faith (November 1992); #5 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. New Jersey (September 1988); #1 US, #1 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. Slippery When Wet (August 1986); #1 US, #6 UK, US sales: 12,000,000. 7800 Fahrenheit (April 1985); #37 US, #28 UK, US sales: 1,000,000.

Bon Jovi (January 1984); #43 US, US sales: 2,000,000. David Bryan - keyboards. Tico Torres - drums. Richie Sambora - lead guitar.

Jon Bon Jovi - vocals/guitar.