CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Interview with Jon Bon Jovi
Aired August 16, 2006 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, Jon Bon Jovi, two decades as a rock idol and still scoring hits that make music history and more people coming to his concerts than almost anyone else out there. How does he do it? What's he got to say about all those tabloid headlines swirling about his band mate Richie Sambora, Heather Locklear, and Denise Richards?
Jon Bon Jovi is next on LARRY KING LIVE.
KING: A great night ahead with one of my favorite people, Jon Bon Jovi, his most recent album, "Have a Nice Day," and there you see its cover, has skyrocketed again to the top of the chart and it's country music that has made the theme go. His staying power is incredible. The group has sold more than 100 million albums and remains a top 10 concert act.
Why country?
JON BON JOVI, MUSICIAN: The great gift that you have in this situation is that we just wrote a good song that transcended any radio format. It was a pop hit as well. A lot of my songs have been covered on country by other artists.
With this one, when Richie and I wrote it, we thought it would be a great idea if we could get on country radio but knew that the format was close to a rock band so we sought out the help of a country artist.
And our record company suggested a brand new one and I said I'd like to have her fulfill three requirements. I have to like her voice. I have to like the songs that are on her forthcoming record. And then I have to believe that she delivers our lyric.
KING: She sings with you then?
BON JOVI: Jennifer Nettles from a brand new band called Sugarland, knocked the ball out of the park.
KING: Are you surprised at its success?
BON JOVI: Not really, to be honest with you, because I really do believe that a lot of the young country artists of this generation grew up probably closer to my music than they did to Patsy Cline and to Woody Guthrie and, you know, the originators of what was country.
KING: Do you enjoy the format?
BON JOVI: Very much.
KING: You're going to do more of it.
BON JOVI: Yes. I think in all honesty my next record will be greatly influenced by the Nashville scene.
KING: so, now you're going to be hoe-down?
BON JOVI: No.
KING: You're going to scene in Nashville, and Green Point, North Carolina.
BON JOVI: Well, we play those places anyhow.
KING: Do you think you're now in a rebirth in a sense?
BON JOVI: Yes.
KING: Like Bon Jovi is in again?
BON JOVI: Yes.
KING: You never really went away.
BON JOVI: Well, no there's ebbs and flows to any real career. We're not talking about one, two, five or ten year careers. After you span 20 years, then you can start talking to me about having a career. And, I've gone over that cliff now and I'm in the 24th year of my recording career. Yes, we have been up and we have been down but this is one of the up years and it feels good.
KING: Are you always aware that there are downs?
Interview with Jon Bon Jovi
Aired August 16, 2006 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, Jon Bon Jovi, two decades as a rock idol and still scoring hits that make music history and more people coming to his concerts than almost anyone else out there. How does he do it? What's he got to say about all those tabloid headlines swirling about his band mate Richie Sambora, Heather Locklear, and Denise Richards?
Jon Bon Jovi is next on LARRY KING LIVE.
KING: A great night ahead with one of my favorite people, Jon Bon Jovi, his most recent album, "Have a Nice Day," and there you see its cover, has skyrocketed again to the top of the chart and it's country music that has made the theme go. His staying power is incredible. The group has sold more than 100 million albums and remains a top 10 concert act.
Why country?
JON BON JOVI, MUSICIAN: The great gift that you have in this situation is that we just wrote a good song that transcended any radio format. It was a pop hit as well. A lot of my songs have been covered on country by other artists.
With this one, when Richie and I wrote it, we thought it would be a great idea if we could get on country radio but knew that the format was close to a rock band so we sought out the help of a country artist.
And our record company suggested a brand new one and I said I'd like to have her fulfill three requirements. I have to like her voice. I have to like the songs that are on her forthcoming record. And then I have to believe that she delivers our lyric.
KING: She sings with you then?
BON JOVI: Jennifer Nettles from a brand new band called Sugarland, knocked the ball out of the park.
KING: Are you surprised at its success?
BON JOVI: Not really, to be honest with you, because I really do believe that a lot of the young country artists of this generation grew up probably closer to my music than they did to Patsy Cline and to Woody Guthrie and, you know, the originators of what was country.
KING: Do you enjoy the format?
BON JOVI: Very much.
KING: You're going to do more of it.
BON JOVI: Yes. I think in all honesty my next record will be greatly influenced by the Nashville scene.
KING: so, now you're going to be hoe-down?
BON JOVI: No.
KING: You're going to scene in Nashville, and Green Point, North Carolina.
BON JOVI: Well, we play those places anyhow.
KING: Do you think you're now in a rebirth in a sense?
BON JOVI: Yes.
KING: Like Bon Jovi is in again?
BON JOVI: Yes.
KING: You never really went away.
BON JOVI: Well, no there's ebbs and flows to any real career. We're not talking about one, two, five or ten year careers. After you span 20 years, then you can start talking to me about having a career. And, I've gone over that cliff now and I'm in the 24th year of my recording career. Yes, we have been up and we have been down but this is one of the up years and it feels good.
KING: Are you always aware that there are downs?