Jon Bon Jovi was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday to kick off this year's Grammy weekend, joining other legendary artists including Joni Mitchell, Lionel Richie and Dolly Parton who have been honored at the glitzy annual dinner for the past 30 years.
He was sandwiched between two previous Person of the Year honorees, Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney at his table for much of the evening (along with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who introduced him before his speech), as Bon Jovi finally accepted honor at the end of the night, he thanked his two heroes, especially Springsteen for performing even though his mother had died just two days earlier.
“I want to thank my hero, my friend, my mentor Bruce Springsteen,” Bon Jovi said as the crowd began to roar the famous “Bruuuuce” chant. “Bruce's mom died two days ago. When I first heard the news he was already on the plane on his way here. But he wanted to be here tonight for MusiCares. And he wanted to be here tonight for me, and I'm forever grateful.”
Bon Jovi also thanked McCartney, telling him that “it's fair to say that the reason most, if not all, of us are in this room tonight is because of you. Thank you so much for being Beatle Paul.”
Bon Jovi talked about the importance of MusiCares' work throughout his speech and the importance music has played in his life. “Another thing I've learned is that every time I strum my guitar, it reminds me that I have a best friend for life. This instrument will never let you down. It doesn't matter if you're eight or if you're 80, if you're playing in a bedroom or a local stadium. Tonight, and every night I know how blessed I have been.
“There are millions of other musicians who started the same journey, but for whatever reason their paths took them in different directions,” he continued. “Some of them may have played professionally, others as a hobby and some may have needed help along the way. As musicians, we have no safety net. Some may need some basic help, and that's where MusiCares comes in handy. I love what they do, not only financially, but also the service provided. This is proof that music saves lives.”
Heading into the evening, the biggest question among show attendees was whether Springsteen would be there after his mother's death. The boss wasted little time putting that speculation to rest as Bon Jovi quickly brought him on as the night's first guest, with the two playing 'Who Says You Can't Go Home' and 'Promised Land', before intermission their table. to watch the rest of the shows.
Comedian Jim Gaffigan, the event's host, joked about Bon Jovi's legacy of giving New Jerseyites, as he put it, an absurd level of confidence. “Chris Christie has run for President. Twice. Talk about life with a prayer.” Gaffigan lovingly poked fun at Bon Jovi for his ultra-modern '80s outfits, repeatedly showing a photo of the singer in a Jack Daniel's T-shirt and short jean shorts.
Springsteen's collaboration with his Heartland Rock student was the most anticipated performance in a night of nearly 20 acts spanning nearly three hours. Melissa Etheridge, Jason Isbell, Shania Twain, Sammy Hagar, Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson all performed Bon Jovi hits.
Etheridge, backed by blues rock duo Larkin Poe, kicked off the rest of the night's performances by singing Bon Jovi's solo debut “Blaze of Glory.”
Lenny Kravitz, in a leather jacket and his signature shades, introduced the Jelly Roll. Jelle, decked out in all black, strutted through “Bad Medicine” while a flaming heart dominated the screen behind him. “You're the fucking man, Bon Jovi,” Jelly said as she left the stage.
Jelly's Broken Bow Records labelmate Lainey Wilson, wearing a wide-brimmed black hat and green jacket and matching pants, took the stage soon after with “We Weren't Born to Follow.” Kylie Minogue introduced Shania Twain for an entertaining rendition of “Bed of Roses.” By the end of the song, Bon Jovi stood in applause, hands over his heart.
Among some of the other performances, Jason Isbell got the nod to play “Wanted Dead or Alive,” taking the stage with a double-neck Gibson, nailing Bon Jovi's signature rap and shredding a solo. Train's Pat Monahan performed “It's My Life” and Maneskin's Damiano David played “Keep the Faith.” Mammoth WVH played “Have a Nice Day” and Marcus King performed “Born to be My Baby”.
Taking to the middle of the convention center hall accompanied by upright bass and acoustic guitars, War and Treaty gave perhaps the best performance of the night with a soulful duet of “I'll Be There For You”. Elsewhere, Brandi Clark's refined rendition of “(You Want to) Make a Remedy” – which had followed Sammy Hagar's cover of “You Give Love a Bad Name” – was another highlight.
After his end-of-night speech, Bon Jovi took the stage for one final song, with an ensemble of many of the night's other performers (sans Springsteen) coming back with “Livin' On a Prayer.”
MusiCares, the philanthropic arm of the Recording Academy, was founded in 1989 to support musicians in need of financial assistance, health care and addiction recovery. The MusiCares Person of the Year Gala is usually the first major event of Grammy weekend. The 66th Grammy Awards will air on CBS on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST.
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