Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi perform together at Madison Square Garden in New York on Dec. 12, 2012.
It has been announced that Bruce Springsteen will participate in the MusiCares Person of the Year tribute to Jon Bon Jovi that will take place Feb. 2 at The Los Angeles Convention Center. The two New Jersey rock icons have performed together many times, over the years. According to the invaluable Springsteen database Brucebase, in fact, they have performed together 19 times, going all the way back to 1980.
Here is a rundown, with videos when available.
Jan. 9, 1980: Springsteen makes a brief guest appearance with Bon Jovi’s band of the time, Atlantic City Expressway, at The Fast Lane in Asbury Park.
April 12, 1987: At a Cats on a Smooth Surface show at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, Springsteen and Bon Jovi sing the standard “Kansas City” together.
Dec. 27, 1992: At a Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes show at The Stone Pony, Springsteen and Bon Jovi perform on “It’s Been a Long Time” and “Having a Party.”
April 3, 1993: At a concert by Springsteen and the “Other Band” at Westfalenhalle in Dortmund, Germany, Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora join in on “Glory Days.”
July 16, 1994: At a Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes concert in a tent outside The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, celebrating the nightclub’s 20th anniversary, Springsteen and Bon Jovi (as well as Patti Scialfa and Max Weinberg) participate in a jam session that includes “I Played the Fool,” “Funky Broadway,” “Land of 1000 Dances,” “It’s Been a Long Time,” “Jersey Girls,” “I’ve Been Working Too Hard” and “Having a Party.”
April 12, 1995: At a Rainforest Foundation benefit at Carnegie Hall in New York, Springsteen and Bon Jovi participate in the show-closing string of Elvis Presley hits: “Burning Love,” “It’s Now or Never,” “Jailhouse Rock” and “Mystery Train.”
March 8, 1997: At a concert by The Wallflowers at Tradewinds in Sea Bright, Bon Jovi and Springsteen join the band for a cover of Sam Cooke’s “Bring It on Home to Me.”
Jan. 31, 1998: Springsteen, Bon Jovi and many others participate in “Come Together” a concert to benefit the Sergeant Patrick King Memorial Fund at The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. Among the numbers they both perform on is “This Time It’s for Real,” also featuring Southside Johnny and Steven Van Zandt.
April 28, 1999: At an E Street Band concert at Halle Tony Garnier in Lyon, France, Bon Jovi joins the group for “Hungry Heart.”
Aug. 12, 1999: Bon Jovi (as well as Sambora, Melissa Etheridge and Max Weinberg’s daughter Ali) join Springsteen and the E Street Band for “Hungry Heart” at The Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford.
Dec. 4, 1999: At a private show by the Bon Jovi band in a Colts Neck home, won in a charity auction for The Doug Flutie Autism Foundation, Springsteen takes the stage for “Red Headed Woman,” “Lucille,” “Treat Her Right,” “Oh, Pretty Woman,” “It’s All Over Now” and “Having a Party.” The show raised more money for the cause.
Oct. 21, 2000: At a benefit for Special People United to Ride of Monmouth County at Hedgerow Farm in Middletown, Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Patti Scialfa and Max Weinberg join The Bobby Bandiera Band on “Having a Party,” “Rockin’ All Over the World,” “Proud Mary,” “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” “Hungry Heart,” “Mustang Sally” and “Twist and Shout.”
April 29, 2003: Springsteen and Bon Jovi are among the participants in “The Hope Concert,” organized at The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank by Bobby Bandiera to benefit his son, Robert Bandiera Jr., who was suffering from neurological problems. Among the songs they both appear on are “Thunder Road,” “Rosalita,” “Having a Party” and “Twist and Shout.”
April 30, 2003: Springsteen and Bon Jovi are among the participants in a benefit for Rumson Country Day School at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park.
Dec. 7, 2003: Bon Jovi participates in Springsteen’s holiday show at Convention Hall in Asbury Park. Here they are singing Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” together.
Dec. 12, 2006: Springsteen and Bon Jovi both participate in “Bobby Bandiera’s All Star Concert,” a benefit for the Joan Dancy & PALS (People with ALS) Support Group at The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. They and others close the show with “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”
April 13, 2008: Bon Jovi guests on “Glory Days” at a show by Springsteen and the E Street Band at The American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Dec. 22, 2008: Springsteen and Bon Jovi both participate in Bobby Bandiera’s “Hope Concert” at The Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, benefiting The Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank, and The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Here they are performing “Tenth Avenue Freeze-out” together.
Dec. 12, 2012: Bon Jovi guests with Springsteen and the E Street Band (on “Born to Run”) and Springsteen guests with the Bon Jovi band (on “Who Says You Can’t Go Home”) at “12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief” at Madison Square Garden in New York.
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