Bono
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Bono is the lead singer of the popular Rock Band, U2.
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About
Bono or "Paul David Hewson" in real life was born on May 10, 1960 in Dublin, Ireland to "Bobby Hewson", a postal worker and "Iris Hewson". His father was a Catholic while her mother was a prostestant. While he was young, Bono was raised in a spiritual atmosphere, but because he came from a mixed marriage he was never fully welcomed in either the Catholic or Protestant churches. At the age of 15, Paul suffered a tragic and devastating loss, when his mother died of a brain aneursym while attending the funeral of her own father.
During this time, Bono also found himself drawn to music and playing the guitar. In high school, Bono's natural gift of gab and flair for the dramatic allowed him to move within nearly every school circle, and to experiment with a variety of artistic mediums. Bono had several names: first, he was "Steinvic von Huyseman", then just "Huyseman", then "Houseman", then "Bon Murray", "Bono Vox of O'Connell Street", and finally just "Bono".
He joined a group of kids who called themselves "Lypton Village", and it was there that he acquired the name "Bono Vox". In school, Bono was a popular kid and a half-decent student. He excelled in history, chess and art, was considered a good painter, and had many girlfriends who adored his romantic, sweet-talking ways.
One day in 1976, he answered an ad posted on a bulletin board at the Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin, asking for anyone who was interested in forming a band to meet after school at the house of one Larry Mullen Junior. Their band went with the name "Feedback" for a few months, and changed it to "The Hype" later on.
Original members of the band were, "Larry Mullen Jr.", "Bono", "Dick Evans", "David Howell Evans" and "Adam Clayton". After Dick left the group to join another local band, the Virgin Prunes, the remaining four officially changed the name from "The Hype" to U2. Bono who couldn't play guitar or really carry a tune, but whose earnest charm, intense poetic songwriting, and theatrical persona ultimately won him the position as the band's frontman and songwriter.
U2's relentless touring schedule quickly boosted his vocal prowess, however, and by the time of the band's groundbreaking 1983 War release, Bono had developed a soaring tenor. Within four years it would become one of the most recognizable voices in popular music. Bono has always had a great stage presence. Even at school, where he was the first person to embrace punk, he had a flare for grabbing people's attention. From the beginning, he was a natural at working an audience and getting the best from them by interacting with them.
In 1984, Bono sang on the Band Aid single "Do They Know it's Christmas?/Feed the World. U2 performed on Amnesty's Conspiracy Of Hope tour of the United States in 1986 alongside Sting. As the group's lead singer and lyricist, Bono has written songs which have taken people on spiritual journeys, turned them on sexually, or inspired them to change.
In 1987, U2 rose to superstardom and Bono was quickly placed in the center of international media attention. His righteously candid interviews combined with a tendency to preach on stage eventually made him the target of the press' more cynical circles. During the band's early years, Bono was known for his rebellious tone which turned to political anger and rage during the band's War with The Joshua Tree and Rattle and Hum eras.
After the Enniskillen bombing that left 11 dead and 63 injured on 8 November 1987, the Provisional IRA paramilitaries threatened to kidnap Bono. IRA supporters also attacked a vehicle carrying the band members. These acts were in response to his speech condemning the Remembrance Day Bombing during a live performance of "Sunday Bloody Sunday".
After touring for over two-and-a-half years at the end of the '80s, U2 temporarily stepped out of the public eye and disappeared to Berlin in 1990 to record a new album. Beyond U2, Bono has extended himself to other projects and causes, and has emerged over the years to be both a social animal and an activist and has rallied numerous actors, artists and activists to his cause.
Bono's most extensive social campaign was Jubilee 2000, another project orchestrated to cancel third world debts that included supporters such as Radiohead's Thom Yorke, Live Aid organizer Bob Geldof, and producer Quincy Jones. During the Jubilee 2000 campaign, Bono spoke before the United Nations and the United States Congress and met with key figures such as Pope John Paul II and Bill Clinton.
In addition to his work with U2, he has collaborated with, Zucchero, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Luciano Pavarotti, Sinéad O'Connor, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tina Turner and BB King. Bono has also recorded with Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennett, Clannad, The Corrs, and Wyclef Jean.
Bono has also been praised by world leaders as an accomplished activist due to his powers of persuasion and knowledge of the issues. He travels extensively to give speeches and lobby politicians. Bono's career as a socially conscious musician has been shaped by childhood experiences in Ireland as well as volunteer work in Africa and South America.Bono has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, was granted an honorary knighthood by the United Kingdom, and was named as a Person of the Year by Time. He is the co-founder of EDUN, the ONE Campaign and Product Red, an initiative begun by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
Awards & Certifications
Chart Toppers
News
Tours & Concerts
There are no current tour and concert schedules for Bono.
Announcements
There are no announcements as of this time
Discography
Albums
Singles
Compilations & Live Releases
Other artists
Similar artists
Contemporaries
Trivia
- The origin of Bono's name has been variously attributed to a dog food, a brand of hearing aid, and the Latin phrase for 'good voice'.
- Bono was honored by NBC Nightly News on November 2007 as someone who has been "making a difference" in the world.
- Bono wears goggle-like sunglasses.
- He is the only person, who has been nominated for an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and for the Nobel Prize.
- Bono was one of the keynote speakers at Liberal Party of Canada's Leadership Convention in November 2003, where Paul Martin was elected as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister of Canada.
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External Links
Categories: Artist | Rock
