Bon Jovi through the years: Celebrate the singer as he turns 60

John Francis Bongiovi Jr. was born March 2, 1962 in beautiful Perth Amboy, New Jersey to parents John Sr., a former U.S. Marine, and Carol Sharkey, a former Playboy Bunny. Jon got his musical start in 1975, playing guitar and piano for his first band, Raze. He followed that up with a number of other projects, namely Atlantic City Expressway, John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones, and the Rest. But it was in 1983, when a radio station in Long Island, NY included one of his singles on a "Homegrown Talent" compilation that things began to "Runaway." (Cue synth intro.)

In March of 1983, Jon put together Bon Jovi with David Bryan, Alec John Such, Tico Torres, and Richie Sambora -- and they officially began their takeover, marching forth with lots of leather, tassels, cowboy boots, and big hair! The band's first four albums would arrive soon after -- Bon Jovi (1984), 7800° Fahrenheit (1985), Slippery When Wet (1986), and New Jersey (1988) -- each featuring a number of their longest-standing hits to date.

The '90s. Oh boy, the '90s. A whole lot of upheaval and reshuffling happened in the Bon Jovi camp early on, including the departure of Alec John Such. Ultimately, the decade would give fans only two studio releases -- Keep The Faith (1992) and These Days (1995) -- and a few compilations. They did tour extensively during this time, and Jon also cut his beloved hair, which took up way more air time on the news than it should have. Following the These Days Tour, which wrapped in 1996, the guys parted ways, and Bon Jovi the band was put on hold.

At the turn of the millennium, Jon Bon Jovi was "featured" in Universal Pictures' submarine flick, U-571, along with Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, and Bill Paxton. This gave us a look into an alternate universe where Jon Bongiovi Jr. could have been a handsome sailor. Spolier alert for those who may not have seen the flick: It doesn't end well for his character, Lieutenant Pete Emmett.

What a comeback! If you have seen the movie mentioned above, you know Jon is SUPERHUMAN! All jokes aside, Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the single "Real Life" for the movie EdTV and in June 2000 they released their seventh studio album, Crush, featuring the first single "It's My Life." When the world was forever changed on September 11, 2001, JBJ stepped up to help the United States heal, and raise funds on a national and local level to provide relief.

After their reunion, Bon Jovi kept the faith by giving fans a whopping seven studio releases, not including compilations -- Bounce (2002), Have a Nice Day (2005), Lost Highway (2007), The Circle (2009), What About Now (2013), Burning Bridges (2015), and This House Is Not for Sale (2016) -- although the band did see the departure of guitarist Richie Sambora in 2013. Bon Jovi was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, with former members Such and Sambora invited to perform.

And here we are. 39 years after his arrival on the New Jersey rock scene and we're still "Shot Through the Heart"! Not only is the Rock Hall inductee still giving fans new music with his latest album, 2020, and amazing performances, but he's also been giving back with his JBJ Soul Foundation charitable efforts and JBJ Soul Kitchen. He's helped build homes, aided earthquake victims, and consistently uses his platform for positive political activism -- all while keeping humble with his family, faith, and good fortune. Bon Jovi's 2020 tour plans had been thwarted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but in early 2022 they announced a new set of dates that will begin on April 1. Check out the itinerary HERE, and find out how YOUR BAND can be one of the opening acts!