Jon Bon Jovi

The ultimate Jersey boy who made good but never forgot his roots, Jon Bon Jovi was the founder, lead songwriter and frontman for the hugely successful rock band, Bon Jovi. Powered by his movie star face and charismatic stage presence, the band ruled the 1980s, claiming their throne with 1986's seminal Slippery When Wet, which unleashed such anthems as "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer." Their follow up, 1988's New Jersey launched the classics "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There for You." Branching out on his own, Jon's solo debut, 1990's Blaze of Glory gave him another No. 1 with the title track. The band continued to enjoy success, evolving as the musical landscape changed, and became one of the industry's all-time most successful touring bands. Blessed with a natural acting ability, Bon Jovi embarked on an onscreen career. Although he often appeared in lower-profile projects, he earned solid notices for his turns in such films as "Moonlight and Valentino" (1995), "U-571" (2000) and "Pay it Forward" (2000) as well as a recurring role on "Ally McBeal" (Fox, 1997-2002). Proving that he and his band remained - outside of Bruce Springsteen - the consummate hometown boys, Bon Jovi became something of a national treasure. Displaying enormous career longevity and range for a "hair band" singer, Jon Bon Jovi was the rare entertainer who not only conquered the musical world, but found a way to call the shots, age gracefully and continue to create commercial hits.