Bon Jovi stops in at Lakehouse to chat with students
Artist talks about his early music career and rise to stardom
This past weekend, relevant, real-life music education at Asbury Park’s Lakehouse Music Academy included life lessons from one of New Jersey’s native rock-star sons, Jon Bon Jovi [above, center].
The 52-year-old internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter sat down with a group of about about 40 students enrolled in the music academy’s songwriter program and pro group on Saturday to talk about life in the music industry, his early years and his rise to the top, according to Lakehouse owner Jon Leidersdorff [above, seated at far right.]
The famed musician played an acoustic version of “Who Says You Can’t Go Home,” a song from Bon Jovi’s ninth studio album, Have a Nice Day, talked to the them and answered their questions, and asked them some of his own, he said.
“He played, he talked to kids about his early experiences,” said Leidersdorff, “he was very good. He engaged the kids and he was honest, not pretentious at all, just honest and open — the kids loved it.
One of the students, bass player Zakaya Kennedy [shown at right], asked him why he closed his eyes when he performed a part of the song. The multi-million dollar selling artist’s answer was frank — he was trying to recall the words, Leidersdorff said.
Four students from the nine- to 11-age junior pro group, which include some Asbury Park residents, performed Bon Jovi’s 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer,” for him.
“It was awesome. Think about it — you’re 10 and you are literally playing a Bon Jovi song while he is right in front of you,” Leidersdorff said.
The biggest takeaway for students, he said, was learning the importance of committing to a goal and following it through with their best effort, whatever that goal may be, he said.
After the class, the artist posed for photos with students and signed autographs and left them feeling “world-class” and “empowered,” he said.
“There’s not a better gift he could have given than that sincerity or that time.”
The artist also took a tour of the entire building and was “complementary” about what is taking place there. Besides the progressive music school, rehearsal space and recording studio, the LakeHouse building is also home to Russo Music Center, Cowerks shared meeting space, Bands on a Budget, and Mumford’s Cafe.
“He was surprised in a positive way about the community here [in the Lakehouse building],” Leidersdorff said.
Last year, that community effort expanded its radius outside the building’s walls. The Lakehouse teamed up with the Asbury Park Musical Heritage Foundation and, through the fundraising efforts of Watermark owner Russel Lewis, brought a full music curriculum to students at the city’s Hope Academy Charter School. A fundraiser scheduled for this Saturday will help continue fund-raising efforts toward the expansion of an after-school program.
The academy has previously seen local musicians Glen Burtnik of Styx and Pete Steinkopf of The Bouncing Souls make guest appearances in the Lakehouse classrooms, Leidersdorff said.
“And we’re always looking for more — there are a lot of students.”
[Photos taken by Kristen Drum, provided courtesy of Lakehouse.]
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