by Mike Matzinger
Jon Bon Jovi (born John Francis Bongiovi Jr. on March 2, 1962, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey) would grow up to become one of rock music’s most iconic figures. But before the stadium lights and global stages, he was simply a Cub Scout—an experience that would come to resonate later in life, especially when shared with his own children.
As a boy in the late 1960s, young Jon participated in Cub Scouting. He fondly—or humorously—remembered the annual Pinewood Derby with a story he told on The Tonight Show in 2002. He recalled being handed a block of wood and instructions to “make a car,” only to show up at the race with “three of the wheels on the same side” and blue paint smeared across his hands because it hadn’t dried. His admission that he “wasn’t very handy” painted a picture of youthful enthusiasm matched by comedic humility.
Years later, that same spirit emerged when his own son entered Cub Scouting. Determined to do better, Bon Jovi flew back to New Jersey for the Derby to collaborate with his son. Together, they built what he described as “the coolest car ever.” He joked that while his son did most of the work, the photo afterward—with Jon raising his hands as if to prove he hadn’t cut himself—was proof he had at least tried to be handy.
Beyond scouting anecdotes, Jon’s broader story unfolds through his legendary music and personal achievements. He rose to fame as the founder and frontman of the band Bon Jovi, formed in 1983. Over decades, he helped craft anthems like Livin’ on a Prayer and You Give Love a Bad Name, and the band has sold more than 130 million records worldwide.
His career also expanded into acting, with roles in films such as Moonlight and Valentino, U-571, and Pay It Forward, and appearances on TV shows including Ally McBeal and The West Wing. Jon received further recognition through inductions into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2009) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2018).
On the personal front, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Hurley, in 1989 and they have four children together. Their son Jake, a marriage to Millie Bobby Brown in 2024, and the birth of their daughter in 2025 added new chapters to his family’s story—all while Jon maintained strong roots in community and philanthropy.
https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2018/04/13/jon-bon-jovi-cub-scout-son/
