Jon Bon Jovi. Bruce Springsteen. Two of the planet’s biggest rock stars. But at heart, they’re just two boys from New Jersey. When they sang live together at a charity event, fans loved seeing their huge boyish grins. Jon was 50 at the time, and Bruce 63, but they looked like two schoolboys just rocking out in the garage together and having a ball. The pair performed a barnstorming take on Bon Jovi’s “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” and the nostalgic ode to Jon’s home state was perfect for the occasion.
The Music Man readers will definitely want to tune in at 0:56, where Jon plays next to Bruce and just looks so happy to be there. Aside from the heartwarming vibes, their duet is just a killer performance, because you know when there’s this much talent on one stage, it’s gonna be a night to remember. The mix of Jon’s twangy tenor and Bruce’s raspy baritone sounds so natural together – the chemistry is off the charts. It’s the kind of performance that’s impossible to watch without a big grin on your face.
Fan channel Nea Zixnh uploaded the duet to YouTube, where it drew 5.3 million views. Viewers were loving the feel-good vibes, and added comments such as “The two original Jersey boys! Both so happy doing what they love best” and “Jon is so happy to perform together with Bruce Springsteen. Outstanding performance.”
Jon and Bruce teamed up together for The Concert For Sandy Relief benefit. The Music Man is pleased to report that Jon returned the favor to Bruce by appearing on one of The Boss’s songs during the concert. The pair hit the stage together again when Jon joined Bruce to perform the latter’s “Born to Run.” Jon and Bruce’s output is not something that I really consider to be particularly close musically, but when they sing each other’s songs, it sounds so natural, like they could have written the songs together.
The Concert for Sandy Relief took place at Madison Square Garden in New York City on December 12, 2012. The event was organized to raise funds for Hurricane Sandy relief, after the hurricane caused an estimated $60 billion in damage in the US. Jon and The Boss weren’t the only A-listers who appeared on the bill for the charity concert. The Rolling Stones, The Who, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Eric Clapton, and Billy Joel all made appearances, among other stars. The concert was also notable for hosting a rare reunion of the three surviving Nirvana members, who played together with Paul McCartney during the English legend’s set.