Jon Bon Jovi Remembers the First Time He Saw Bruce Springsteen Perform — and The Boss Doing ‘The Coolest Thing I’ve Ever Seen’

Bon Jovi reflected on how his idol — and fellow New Jersey native — became a friend, too

Bruce Springsteen (left) and Jon Bon Jovi in 2024. Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty

Jon Bon Jovi is reflecting on one very important friendship: his bond with Bruce Springsteen.

Bon Jovi, 62, grew up in Sayreville, N.J., about 18 miles from Freehold, where Springsteen, 75, grew up. On Nov. 25, the “Livin’ on a Prayer’” singer hosted SiriusXM’s E Street Radio, which is dedicated to the Boss’ music, and he reminisced about the early years of their friendship.

“The first time that I saw The E Street Band play live was at the Philadelphia Spectrum,” Bon Jovi shared. “They had been playing some theaters, but this was their first arena that I got an opportunity to go to and when they were playing ‘Spirits in the Night,’ Clarence [Clemons] is blowing that horn and the solo happens, and by the time the solo ends, Bruce is up in the third tier sitting in the seats. I love that trick. I used that trick myself many years later because I was like, ‘That is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.’ ”

Jon Bon Jovi (left) and Bruce Springsteen in 2003.Debra L Rothenberg/FilmMagic

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“The E Street Band were The Beatles when you grew up in New Jersey,” he continued. “When I was a boy, I would drive down to Asbury Park, just cutting my teeth in the music business, playing in the bars. If you were lucky enough, you’d walk into one of those bars and there were 10 members of the Asbury Dukes, or seven members of The E Street Band.”

He also remembered a seminal moment when, while playing one of the band’s songs as a young artist, Springsteen joined him on stage.

“So, in 1978, I was playing with the Atlantic City Expressway, which was my very first cover band playing in the bars … and we were performing the song ‘Promised Land,’ ” he said. “And as I was singing the song, I turned around and as I turned around, sitting at the microphone with me to sing along was in fact, Bruce. Now, for a kid that was still in high school, believe me, that was a Beatles moment.”

Jon Bon Jovi (left) and Bruce Springsteen in 2012.Larry Busacca/Getty

Bon Jovi also remembered how back in February, Springsteen jumped on stage with him at the Grammys MusiCares gala, where he was honored as Person of the Year. “He came as the band performed our latest single ‘Legendary,’ and ‘Who Says You Can’t Go Home,’ which he’s performed with us many times, but I broke into ‘The Promised Land’ because, you know, in a weird way, it was full circle,” he said. “Here I was with, you know, with my hero once again like it was 1979, and he’s jumping on stage with me, but he’s jumping on stage now with me in the band some 40 years on.”

At that event, Bon Jovi noted that Springsteen came just days after his mom, Adele, had died. “I certainly would’ve understood if he’d said that he couldn’t make it, but he wanted to be here tonight for MusiCares. He wanted to be here tonight for me, and I’m forever grateful to you,” he said at the time.

Bon Jovi also opened up to PEOPLE in April about the artists’ bond. “Our connection is deep, on a whole different level of friendship, because how many guys can talk like we can talk, in close quarters, about life and love and loss?” he said. “Our relationship is deep, and he’s a dear friend of mine, and he really is like a big brother.”

Of Springsteen and his band — and their success — he added, “These guys were capable of making the impossible seem possible.”