LONDON – American rocker Jon Bon Jovi is “grateful and humble” to be able to return to the stage again following vocal cord surgery, as the rock band that carry his name announced a comeback tour last week.
The 63-year-old singer underwent surgery in 2022 and regained the strength to sing live again after three years of rehabilitation.
“I’m excited. I’m also grateful and humble,” Bon Jovi told Reuters on the sidelines of a press conference for the 2026 tour at Wembley Stadium on Oct 24.
“(It) has taken a lot of rehabilitation. It’s sort of like an athlete… because you’re retraining… (like) a leg break for a footballer on this field. You have to slowly walk until he can run.”
Bon Jovi were founded by the rocker in 1983 and are known for hits like Livin’ On A Prayer (1986), Always (1994) and It’s My Life (2000). The band announced their Forever Tour on Oct 22, saying they would kick off at Madison Square Garden in New York on July 7, 2026.
The group will then play at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield Stadium and Dublin’s Croke Park in August before wrapping the tour at London’s Wembley stadium on Sept 4.
The European leg marks Bon Jovi’s first shows in Britain and Ireland since 2019.
“The inspiration was not to get back on the stage,” Bon Jovi said of his decision to tour again. “The inspiration when you write a song and you feel that resonance between the sound waves of that music and the band and that resonance between you and the band and the audience.”
The tour announcement coincides with the release of Forever (Legendary Edition), a new version of Bon Jovi’s 2024 album. The new album features collaborations with the likes of English singer Robbie Williams, American singer Bruce Springsteen and Canadian singer Avril Lavigne. REUTERS
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