Jon Bon Jovi revealed that he is slowly “getting back” to performing live after undergoing rare throat surgery two years earlier in June 2022.
The Livin’ On A Prayer hitmaker, 62, who recently attended Tom Brady’s induction into the Patriots Hall of Fame with wife Dorothea Hurley, opened up about his health update during an interview with People.
While at the opening of an exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his band, Bon Jovi, the rocker was asked if he had been recovering his voice following the release of the group’s latest album, Forever, which came out the sale on June 7.
“I guess so,” Jon informed the outlet. As for returning to the stage to perform in front of a live audience, he added, “We performed last night in Nashville and everything was great.”
“So, step by step, I’m going to get back to it,” the Grammy winner continued.
Jon Bon Jovi, 62, revealed that he is slowly “getting back” to performing live after undergoing rare throat surgery two years earlier in June 2022; seen in May in London
As for returning to the stage to perform in front of a live audience, he added, “We performed last night in Nashville and everything was great”; seen in February in Los Angeles
In the summer of 2022, Bon Jovi underwent a vocal fold medialization procedure (also known as thyroplasty).
And last month, in May, the artist got candid about vocal surgery during a cover story for AARP June/July 2024 issue.
While speaking with the outlet, the singer shared his initial reaction to the possibility of suffering a vocal loss.
“People had to talk me out of it, because you were like, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong!’ “What’s going on?” she expressed.
Lip-syncing and autotune weren’t an option for Jovi when it came to live performances, with the star saying: “I’d rather get hit by a bus on the highway.”
Jon was weighing different options when his fellow artist, Shania Twain, recommended him to her doctor, Robert Sataloff, after she suffered from her own voice problems.
Sataloff also told AARP: “Jon has worked, throughout his career, harder and more diligently than most of his fans would have ever imagined.”
However, he explained that the thinning of the star’s vocal cords was not due to injury or any type of illness, but simply aging. “Eventually it catches up with all of us.”
“So, step by step, I’m getting back to it,” the Grammy winner continued; seen earlier this month in New York
While speaking with the outlet, the singer shared his initial reaction to the possibility of suffering a vocal loss. “People had to talk me out of it, because you were like, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong!’ What’s going on? “He expressed; seen in 1985
Regarding the vocal cords losing mass over the years, the doctor stated that ‘the vocal cords fail to unite firmly.’
‘People naturally and unconsciously work harder to bring their vocal cords together so they can get a strong voice. However, that type of excessive muscle tension is counterproductive and inefficient.’
Sataloff added: “It causes muscle tension that makes it more difficult to speak or sing and leads to voice fatigue and sometimes vocal cord injuries.”
And then in June 2022, Jon underwent surgery and was given a Gore-Tex implant in a bid to strengthen his vocal cords.
“I was able to talk the day after the surgery,” recalls the singer. ‘I just sounded like the Godfather. It takes some retraining of the mind, the body and then the spirit, and you just have to be patient.’
“I didn’t excel in the patience category,” the statistician admitted in the post. ‘I’m not superman. It’s just a tattoo I have on my arm.
‘Part of the human experiment is that you just have to try to stay focused and keep moving forward. But that doesn’t mean that, you know, life is over because I’m 62 years old.
He later explained: “It’s like an athlete returning to the field.” Until you’re out there during the game, you’ll never know if it’s going to hold up.”
Jon also revealed whether there was a possibility of touring again, stating, “Whether or not I’ll ever be able to do a 100-show tour again, I don’t know.” But if I can have joy on stage the first night, that would be great.”
“I was able to talk the day after the surgery,” recalls the singer. ‘I just sounded like the Godfather. It takes some retraining of the mind and the body and then the spirit, and you just have to be patient’; seen earlier this month in Cleveland, Ohio
Jon also revealed whether there was a possibility of touring again, stating, “Whether or not I’ll ever be able to do a 100-show tour again, I don’t know.” But if I can have joy on stage the first night, that would be great’; seen in 1984 in Illinois
To make his goal a possible reality, the rocker has focused on a strict recovery process, from an exercise routine in the gym aimed at his core and back, to working with speech therapists to retrain his vocal muscles.
“Don’t doubt that I can’t sing anymore,” he said during his interview with AARP. “This is not a situation where the singer has lost his voice.”
“But during this recovery, my goal is to do two and a half hours a night, four days a week,” Jon explained, referring to how often he wants to get on stage during a tour. “And you know, I’m not going to go out and give less than 110 percent.”
In April, Jon’s vocal cord issues were featured in the Hulu documentary series Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.
while talking to People At the time, the singer reflected further on the procedure and said, “They had taken away what gave me so much pleasure.”
‘Joy is something you have to work on, right? Happiness is what you make of it. It’s no longer about seizing the day.”
He added: “I think it’s about accepting the day.” I don’t have to punch him in the face anymore, now I just give him a hug and that’s a good place to be.’
Regarding the band’s new album, Forever, the star explained that the track is “really about finding joy again.”
‘What really matters in a life? It’s love and loyalty and finding things that make you want to get out of bed in the morning.’
In addition to slowly returning to performing live and releasing new music, Jon also recently celebrated his son, Jake Bongiovi, secretly marrying Stanger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown last May.
Regarding the band’s new album, Forever, the star explained that the track is “really about finding joy again.”
During a recent interview with BBC’s The One Show, Jon opened up about the intimate nuptials and his daughter-in-law; Millie and Jake spotted in May 2022 in Brooklyn
During a recent interview with The only BBC show, Jon talked about the intimate nuptials and his daughter-in-law.
“It was a very small family wedding and the bride looked beautiful and Jake is very happy,” she said.
The singer also gushed, “Millie is wise beyond her years, wiser than I was at her age.” She and Jake are figuring things out together. You talk to them and they say, “We’re developing these (ideas for) movies together,” and I’m taken aback.
Bon Jovi shares Jake, 22, as well as Stephanie, 31, Jessie, 29, and Romeo, 20, with wife Dorothea Hurley, whom he married in 1989.