Jon Bon Jovi to give commencement speech at Monmouth University

Published in the Asbury Park Press

Rock star Jon Bon Jovi will serve as commencement speaker at ceremonies May 16 at Monmouth University in West Long Branch.

Bon Jovi, who grew up in Sayreville and now lives in Middletown, also will receive an honorary degree from the university.

As the lead singer for the band that bears his name, Jon Bon Jovi has brought Jersey-style arena rock to audiences throughout the world. Bon Jovi is in the midst of its "One Wild Night" tour, which ends with two sold-out homecoming shows, July 27 and 28, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford. The tour began last July in Tokyo.

Like Bruce Springsteen before him, Jon Bon Jovi has maintained strong ties to his home state. He is well known for his charity work, including benefit concerts at Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank and at Convention Hall in Asbury Park.

Earlier this year, the Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties named Jon Bon Jovi its Humanitarian of the Year for 2001. Bon Jovi and his bandmates -- Richie Sambora, guitarist; Tico Torres, drummer; and David Bryan, keyboardist; -- are scheduled to perform May 12 on "Saturday Night Live."

The band will release its first live album, "One Wild Night," on May 12 on the Island/Def Jam label. The 15-track album was recorded throughout the tour, including some international dates.

Bon Jovi was nominated for two Grammy awards at this year's ceremony. "Crush" was nominated for best rock album and the hit single "It's My Life" was nominated for best rock performance by a duo or group.

The band has been together since the early '80s, creating pop-rock and power ballads with flourishes of heavy metal. Bon Jovi became superstars in 1986 with the release of "Slippery When Wet," still the definitive album of the pop-metal genre. The band followed up with the 1988 release "New Jersey."