Portrait of Bono of U2 on the roof of the Cork Country Club Hotel, Cork, Ireland March 2, 1980. (Photo by David Corio)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1980
Netherlands
The Edge, Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jnr - posed, group shot (Photo by Lex van Rossen)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1980
Bono - posed, in the snow. (Photo by Peter Noble)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1980
Belgium
The Edge, Bono, Adam Clayton performing live onstage on Boy tour (Photo by Virginia Turbett)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1980
12 Acklam Rd, London W10 5QS, United Kingdom
Bono of U2 performing at Acklam Hall, London, the United Kingdom on 19 March 1980. (Photo by David Corio)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1983
San Bernardino, California, United States
Bono and his wife Ali Hewson, backstage at the US Festival at San Bernardino (Photo by Ebet Roberts)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1984
105 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PG, United Kingdom
Adam Clayton and Bono of U2 pictured outside SARM Studios in Notting Hill, London, during the recording of the Band Aid single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', part of the Feed The World campaign, raising money for famine-stricken Ethiopia, on November 25, 1984. (Photo by Larry Ellis)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1985
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
British pop acts gathered on stage for the finale of the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in London, 13th July 1985. The group includes George Michael, left in the yellow shirt, center stage Bono, Paul McCartney, and Freddie Mercury share a microphone, David Bowie is behind them and Howard Jones is on the right. Event organizer Bob Geldof stands next to George Michael. (Photo by Dave Hogan)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1985
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Irish singer Bono reaches down to an audience member during U2's performance at the Live Aid charity concert, Wembley Stadium, London, 13th July 1985. (Photo by Dave Hogan)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1985
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Photo of Bono of U2, performing live onstage at Live Aid (Photo by Pete Still).
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1985
Bob Geldof and Bono on stage at Live Aid. (Photo by Pete Still)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1985
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Irish singer Bono performing with U2 at the Live Aid charity concert, Wembley Stadium, London, 13th July 1985. (Photo by Dave Hogan)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1987
Singer Bono of rock group U2 performing. (Photo by Kevin Winter)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1990
U2 singer Bono wearing a hat and leaning against a car. (Photo by Terry O'Neill)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1992
1 MetLife Stadium Dr, East Rutherford, NJ 07073, United States
Bono of U2 performing at Giants Stadium, New Jersey on 12 August 1992. (Photo by David Corio)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1993
London, Wembley HA9 0WS, United Kingdom
Bono performing live on stage dressed as Mister Macphisto character, wearing devil horns, on the Zoo TV Zooropa tour. (Photo by Pete Still)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1993
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Bono of U2 performs on stage on the Zooropa Tour at Kuip on May 10th, 1993 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He is dressed as MacPhisto character. (Photo by Paul Bergen)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1993
Driver Ave, Moore Park NSW 2021, Australia
Bono performing live onstage at the Aussie Stadium on the Zoo TV tour, Zoomerang leg, playing guitar, wearing sunglasses. (Photo by Bob King)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
1999
Castel Gandolfo, Italy
Pope John Paul II receives Bono in the context of the Jubilee 2000 project to cancel 3rd World debt on September 23, 1999, in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2002
New York, New York, United States
Bono (L), lead singer of the rock group U2, and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates sit together before a news conference at the World Economic Forum in New York, February 2, 2002. Gates teamed up with rock icon Bono in an appeal to world leaders to substantially increase funding for global health care. (Photo by Jeff Christensen)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2003
Modena, Italy
U2 lead singer Bono and Luciano Pavarotti perform at the Pavarotti and Friends 2003 concert on May 27, 2003, in Modena, Italy. This year's concert, the 10th edition of the Pavarotti and Friends benefits, will donate all the funds raised to help Iraqi refugees. (Photo by Giuseppe Cacace)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2003
Modena, Italy
Musician Bono of U2 bows before opera singer Luciano Pavarotti during the Pavarotti and Friends 2003 concert May 27, 2003 in Modena, Italy. This year's concert, the 10th edition of the Pavarotti and Friends benefits, will donate all the funds raised to help Iraqi refugees. (Photo by Arnaldo Magnani)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2003
6-8 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 HT44, Ireland
Bono of band U2 and wife Ali Hewson attend the after party of the Special Olympics Ceremony in The Clarence Hotel on June 21, 2003, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowBizIreland.com)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2005
Search Results 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
In this handout from the White House, President George W. Bush and musician Bono meet in the Oval Office after lunch in the White House on October 19, 2005, in Washington, DC. According to reports Bono, who is in town for a concert, was invited to the White House for a discussion. (Photo by Eric Draper)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2006
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
Singer of the group U2, Bono, and Senator Barack Obama talk at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC on February 2, 2006. (Photo by Dennis Brack-Pool)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2006
Washington, District of Columbia, United States
President George W. Bush and singer of the group U2, Bono, shake hands after Bono spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast February 2, 2006, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dennis Brack-Pool)
Bono, birth name Paul Hewson, poses after receiving a Knighthood from Ambassador David Reddaway awarded to him by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his services to the music industry and his humanitarian work, at the British Ambassador's residence on March 29, 2007, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowBizIreland)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2010
Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and U2 frontman Bono pose after flicking the switch to light the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge red ahead of World AIDS Day 2010, on November 30, 2010, in Sydney, Australia. More than 80 iconic landmarks across 13 countries will join (RED) to promote awareness of the ongoing fight against the AIDS epidemic, by turning red to mark World AIDS Day on December 1. (Photo by Mike Flokis)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2010
ul. Luzhniki, 24, Moscow, Russia, 119048
Lead singer Bono of Irish rock band U2 performs in the rain during their 360 Degree Tour at the Luzhniki stadium on August 25, 2010 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Gennady Avramenko)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2016
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Honoree Bono poses with the Man of the Year award during Glamour Women Of The Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2016
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Alison Hewson, honoree/singer Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson arrive at Glamour Women of the Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2016
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Alison Hewson, honoree/singer Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson arrive at Glamour Women of the Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2017
9449 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108, United States
Musicians The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Bono, and Adam Clayton of U2 perform on stage on the final night of U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 at SDCCU Stadium on September 22, 2017, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2018
191 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137, United States
Bono attends The (RED) Auction with Theaster Gates, Sir David Adjaye and Bono, in collaboration with Sotheby's and Gagosian at The Moore Building on December 5, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2018
4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, United States
Musician Bono of musical group U2 poses with the GRAMMY Charities Signings during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 27, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2018
Search Results 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, United States
Bono, Neil Portnow, and The Edge pose backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Kovac)
Gallery of Bono (Paul Hewson)
2018
501 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203, United States
Bono of the rock band U2 performs at Bridgestone Arena on May 26, 2018, in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin)
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Achievements
Membership
Clinton Global Initiative
46664
Amnesty International
Chernobyl Children International
Clara Lionel Foundation
EDUN
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Food Bank For New York City
Every Mother Counts
Exploring The Arts
Global Fund
Greenpeace
Janie’s Fund
Keep A Child Alive
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Live 8
Make Poverty History
Mencap
Millennium Promise
Mulago Positive Women’s Network
MusiCares
Music Generation
ONE
NAACP
Awards
Golden Globe
Grammy Award
Image Awards (NAACP)
Order of Arts and Letters
Peabody Award
Billboard Music Award
Brit Awards
GAFFA Awards
iHeartRadio Music Awards
Ivor Novello Awards
Juno Award
LOS40 Music Awards
MTV Video Music Award
Meteor Music Awards
NME Awards
Pollstar Concert Industry Awards
Q Awards
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
105 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill, London W11 1PG, United Kingdom
Adam Clayton and Bono of U2 pictured outside SARM Studios in Notting Hill, London, during the recording of the Band Aid single 'Do They Know It's Christmas?', part of the Feed The World campaign, raising money for famine-stricken Ethiopia, on November 25, 1984. (Photo by Larry Ellis)
British pop acts gathered on stage for the finale of the Live Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in London, 13th July 1985. The group includes George Michael, left in the yellow shirt, center stage Bono, Paul McCartney, and Freddie Mercury share a microphone, David Bowie is behind them and Howard Jones is on the right. Event organizer Bob Geldof stands next to George Michael. (Photo by Dave Hogan)
Irish singer Bono reaches down to an audience member during U2's performance at the Live Aid charity concert, Wembley Stadium, London, 13th July 1985. (Photo by Dave Hogan)
Bono of U2 performs on stage on the Zooropa Tour at Kuip on May 10th, 1993 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He is dressed as MacPhisto character. (Photo by Paul Bergen)
Pope John Paul II receives Bono in the context of the Jubilee 2000 project to cancel 3rd World debt on September 23, 1999, in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. (Photo by Vatican Pool)
Bono (L), lead singer of the rock group U2, and Microsoft chairman Bill Gates sit together before a news conference at the World Economic Forum in New York, February 2, 2002. Gates teamed up with rock icon Bono in an appeal to world leaders to substantially increase funding for global health care. (Photo by Jeff Christensen)
U2 lead singer Bono and Luciano Pavarotti perform at the Pavarotti and Friends 2003 concert on May 27, 2003, in Modena, Italy. This year's concert, the 10th edition of the Pavarotti and Friends benefits, will donate all the funds raised to help Iraqi refugees. (Photo by Giuseppe Cacace)
Musician Bono of U2 bows before opera singer Luciano Pavarotti during the Pavarotti and Friends 2003 concert May 27, 2003 in Modena, Italy. This year's concert, the 10th edition of the Pavarotti and Friends benefits, will donate all the funds raised to help Iraqi refugees. (Photo by Arnaldo Magnani)
6-8 Wellington Quay, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 HT44, Ireland
Bono of band U2 and wife Ali Hewson attend the after party of the Special Olympics Ceremony in The Clarence Hotel on June 21, 2003, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowBizIreland.com)
Search Results 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500, United States
In this handout from the White House, President George W. Bush and musician Bono meet in the Oval Office after lunch in the White House on October 19, 2005, in Washington, DC. According to reports Bono, who is in town for a concert, was invited to the White House for a discussion. (Photo by Eric Draper)
Singer of the group U2, Bono, and Senator Barack Obama talk at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC on February 2, 2006. (Photo by Dennis Brack-Pool)
President George W. Bush and singer of the group U2, Bono, shake hands after Bono spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast February 2, 2006, in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dennis Brack-Pool)
Bono, birth name Paul Hewson, poses after receiving a Knighthood from Ambassador David Reddaway awarded to him by Her Majesty the Queen in recognition of his services to the music industry and his humanitarian work, at the British Ambassador's residence on March 29, 2007, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by ShowBizIreland)
New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and U2 frontman Bono pose after flicking the switch to light the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge red ahead of World AIDS Day 2010, on November 30, 2010, in Sydney, Australia. More than 80 iconic landmarks across 13 countries will join (RED) to promote awareness of the ongoing fight against the AIDS epidemic, by turning red to mark World AIDS Day on December 1. (Photo by Mike Flokis)
Lead singer Bono of Irish rock band U2 performs in the rain during their 360 Degree Tour at the Luzhniki stadium on August 25, 2010 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Gennady Avramenko)
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Honoree Bono poses with the Man of the Year award during Glamour Women Of The Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison)
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Alison Hewson, honoree/singer Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson arrive at Glamour Women of the Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle)
6121 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028, United States
Alison Hewson, honoree/singer Bono, actress Eve Hewson, and Jordan Hewson arrive at Glamour Women of the Year 2016 at NeueHouse Hollywood on November 14, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle)
9449 Friars Rd, San Diego, CA 92108, United States
Musicians The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., Bono, and Adam Clayton of U2 perform on stage on the final night of U2: The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 at SDCCU Stadium on September 22, 2017, in San Diego, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton)
Bono attends The (RED) Auction with Theaster Gates, Sir David Adjaye and Bono, in collaboration with Sotheby's and Gagosian at The Moore Building on December 5, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris)
4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, United States
Musician Bono of musical group U2 poses with the GRAMMY Charities Signings during the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 27, 2018, in New York City. (Photo by Robin Marchant)
Search Results 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, United States
Bono, Neil Portnow, and The Edge pose backstage at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Kovac)
Bono is the frontman and lead vocalist of the Irish rock band U2. He's also known for participating in global charity efforts.
Background
Born on May 10, 1960, in the north Dublin suburb of Ballymun, Paul Hewson was the second child of Catholic father Brendan Robert Hewson (always called Bobby), and Protestant mother Iris Elizabeth Rankin - a highly unusual arrangement in then deeply sectarian Ireland. As a child, Paul Hewson was a precocious, outspoken and thoughtful boy whose early experiences did much to shape his later life as one of the most important figures in Irish history.
Education
As a child, Bono's education started at The Inkwell, a small Protestant Church of Ireland junior school, before eventually continuing on to St. Patrick's Cathedral Choir School. But his time there was unsuccessful; as Bono put it, "I spent a year at St. Patrick's, not being happy, and basically they asked me to leave." This was largely a result of the young Paul throwing dog feces at his Spanish teacher, which subsequently led to his enrollment in 1972 at Mount Temple Comprehensive School, a controversial establishment that was Ireland's first co-educational, non-denominational high school. Paul settled in very quickly and soon became well-adjusted and happy in his new environment.
At Mount Temple, Bono describes himself as being "a bit wide-awake, a bit bright, a bit experimental." Although he was far from exceptional as a student, he had a flair for history and art, and became a keen and expert chess player.
But at the age of 14, he suffered a tragic and devastating loss when his mother died of a brain hemorrhage whilst attending the funeral of her own father.
From this point onwards, Paul's home life became considerably traumatic. Despite his father's attempts to hold the family together, Bono claims that he and Bob Hewson "didn't get on very well." As a result, father and son never enjoyed a particularly close relationship. In fact, Bono would later claim that the inarticulate Bob Hewson's unspoken message to his children was "to dream is to be disappointed." The singer has often cited this as a key reason for his forming such big ambitions and becoming even more determined to follow his dreams.
It was not long after his mother's death that Paul also got his new name. Originally 'Steinhegvanhuysenolegbangbangbang,' it evolved to 'Bonavox of O'Connell Street' after a hearing aid store in the center of Dublin, before eventually being shortened to 'Bonavox,' 'Bono Vox' - cockeyed Latin for 'good voice' - and finally 'Bono.' Credit for this goes to his mate Guggi (real name Derek Rowan), a childhood friend, who along with Bono was a member of the group Lypton Village. This was a gang of disaffected-but-creative youths that included Gavin Friday (real name Fionan Hanvey), the man who would eventually go on to form the avant-garde rock band the Virgin Prunes. Bono has often cited Lypton Village as a key source of inspiration and support both before and during his time with U2.
Despite his initial ambition to be an actor, it was arguably Bono's tendency to be, in his own words, "promiscuous with my ambitions, flirting with all kinds of things" which led him to respond to a notice posted on the Mount Temple bulletin board appealing for musicians. Those interested were told to assemble at 60 Rosemount Avenue, Artane, the house of 14-year-old drummer Larry Mullen Jnr.
As well as Bono, the other boys who made it to that first session were 15-year-old guitarist David Evans (later nicknamed The Edge), 16-year-old Adam Clayton, who couldn't actually play bass guitar but certainly knew how to talk as though he did, Larry's friend Peter Martin, Ivan McCormick, and David Evans' brother Dick. Ivan and Peter were, to quote Adam, "weeded out" early on, whilst Dick eventually left the band to study engineering at Trinity College Dublin. The four remaining boys were initially named Feedback (supposedly after the ear-splitting wailing that always seemed to emanate from the guitar amps), before becoming the Hype, and then eventually U2.
Shortly after the band's formation, Bono, Edge, and Larry became involved in the Dublin-based Christian group Shalom. From an early age, the controversy caused by the marriage between his Protestant mother and Catholic father had made Bono extremely suspicious of organized religion, with him later describing it as having "cut my people in two." Therefore, the non-denominational nature of the Shalom group provided Bono and the two other believing members of U2 with solace, harmony, and strength.
However, Bono, Edge and Larry's involvement with Shalom later caused friction within U2, as the non-believing Adam felt that the latter three's more devout friends were trying to make them prioritize their faith over the band. The three believers did eventually leave Shalom, as they felt that the group was trying to force upon them the false assertion that a commitment to rock n' roll and a commitment to God were mutually excludable principles. Since then, Bono's Christian faith has played a big role in his life, but in a way that has largely been free from the influence of the mainstream church.
Right from the beginning of his time with U2, Bono cultivated a reputation for being able to connect physically and emotionally with fans to an astonishing degree during the band's performances. He honed his technique initially during U2's earliest gigs in small pubs and clubs across America and Europe, where as he put it, he would "walk out on tables, kissing people's girlfriends and drinking their wine." Later on, in the 1983 War tour, the singer would regularly climb the stage tresses in order to prevent the crowds' attention from wandering.
However, perhaps the most well-known example of Bono's on-stage theatrics was during Live Aid in 1985, when mid-way through "Bad" he leapt off the stage and over a security barricade to the floor of the stadium, pulling a girl from the crowd to dance with her. Since then, he has brought girls (and occasionally boys) up on stage to be sprayed with champagne and filmed with handicams (Zoo TV), danced with (PopMart), to play songs (Elevation) and even just to be hugged (Vertigo). Over the years, these exploits have sealed Bono's reputation as one of the all-time great performers, as well as U2's reputation as a band with a heartfelt and profound love for its audience.
But his on-stage antics were not always received positively. At the end of the '80s, Bono had become something akin to a Messiah figure, with his often politically-charged, on-stage sermonizing causing U2 to suffer a considerable amount of ridicule from detractors, who accused them of earnestness, pomposity and egotism. Their decision to relocate to Berlin in order to re-tool their sound and image produced some startling changes in Bono's public persona.
The first of these, appearing on the Zoo TV tour in 1992, was The Fly, a character described by Bono as a man making "a phone call from hell, but liking it there." Others emerged, including the infamous MacPhisto. The latter was an incarnation meant for the European crowds during the 1993 Zooropa tour, apparently intended as a depiction of the Devil as a tired, old pop star who's been reduced to playing the Las Vegas circuit.
These fun and frivolous experiments with various alter-egos did not last the decade, though. On the 2001 and 2005 Elevation and Vertigo tours, Bono became a more low-key version of his late-'80s onstage self, seeking to educate audiences politically and spiritually as well as to entertain.
In early 2013, Bono announced that he and his band were working on another album tentatively called 10 Reasons to Exist, which was later released in the fall of 2014 as Songs of Innocence.
In collaboration with Apple, the band released Songs of Innocence for free on iTunes and streaming services iTunes Radio, and what was at the time, Beats Music. But the album's release came with controversy; many customers were unhappy that it was automatically downloaded into their music libraries without their consent, while some musicians were concerned that giving an album away for free sent the wrong message.
Despite the criticism and receiving mixed reviews, the album got a nod from Rolling Stone as the best album of 2014. It was also nominated for Best Rock Album at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards.
Bono was born of a Roman Catholic father and a Protestant mother.
“I pray to get to know the will of God, because then the prayers have more chance of coming true - I mean, that’s the thing about prayer,” Bono told interviewer Gay Byrne. “We don’t do it in a very lofty way in our family. It’s just a bunch of us on the bed, usually, we’ve a very big bed in our house. We pray with all our kids, we read the Scriptures, we pray.”
Byrne presses Bono on his perception of Jesus - Was he divine? Did he truly rise from the dead? Bono answers in the affirmative.
“[Jesus] went around saying he was the Messiah. That’s why he was crucified. He was crucified because he said he was the Son of God. So, he either, in my view, was the Son of God or he was nuts. Forget rock-and-roll messianic complexes, I mean Charlie Manson-type delirium. And I find it hard to accept that whole millions and millions of lives, half the Earth, for 2,000 years have been touched, have felt their lives touched and inspired by some nutter. I just, I don’t believe it.”
When asked if he believed Jesus made promises that would come true, Bono replied, “Yes, I do.”
Bono’s faith has been an ongoing factor in his advocacy work, and it even cropped up in the lyrics of some of his most famous U2 hits. From ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’: “I believe in the kingdom come / Then all the colors will bleed into one.”
He said: "One of the things that I picked up from my father and my mother was the sense that religion often gets in the way of God. For me, at least, it got in the way. Seeing what religious people, in the name of God, did to my native land…and in this country, seeing God's second-hand car salesmen on the cable TV channels, offering indulgences for cash…in fact, all over the world, seeing the self-righteousness roll down like a mighty stream from certain corners of the religious establishment…I must confess, I changed the channel. I wanted my MTV. Even though I was a believer. Perhaps because I was a believer." (From Bono's speech at the 54th National Prayer Breakfast in America).
Politics
Bono has long been involved in a variety of causes outside of U2. His work as an activist, due largely to his Christian beliefs, began in earnest when, inspired by Live Aid, he traveled to Ethiopia to work in a feeding camp with his wife Ali and the charity World Vision. Bono also went to Central America in 1985 to see the damage wrought by US-backed operations in Nicaragua and El Salvador, after which he and U2 toured as part of the Amnesty International benefit tour, A Conspiracy of Hope.
In the 1990s, he campaigned with Greenpeace against the nuclear power plant Sellafield in the north of England and drew attention to the conflict raging in Bosnia by collaborating with the US journalist Bill Carter during the Zoo TV tour to create the award-winning documentary, Miss Sarajevo.
Since the millennium, he has rallied numerous actors, artists, and campaigners to the cause of ending Third World debt in his role as spokesman for the Jubilee 2000 project, as well as trying to end AIDS and extreme poverty in Africa by co-founding the lobbying organization DATA (Debt, Aid, Trade, Africa) in 2002, the ONE Campaign to Make Poverty History (USA) in 2004, and the Make Poverty History movement (UK) in 2005. The latter two are coalitions of NGOs, faith groups and individuals working to end extreme poverty. Bono was equally key in performing in and helping to organize (along with friend Bob Geldof) the Live 8 concerts in 2005, a series of events across the globe designed to pressure world leaders to increase aid, cancel Third World debt and improve the terms of trade with the world's poorest countries.
Also in 2005, Bono and Ali, along with fashion designer Rogan Gregory, created the socially conscious clothing line EDUN. This range of clothes for men and women seeks to promote fair trade and sustainable growth by basing their means of production in poor communities, without the use of sweatshop-like conditions, encouraging them to use their skills in an environmentally friendly way to create garments that can be sold at a fair price.
In 2006, Bobby Shriver and Bono co-founded the Product (RED) campaign. This initiative seeks to persuade large companies with global brands to sell specific lines of products from which a portion of the profits will be donated to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and malaria.
Views
Throughout U2's career, Bono has written most of the band's lyrics, often focusing on untraditional themes like politics and religion. In fact, social activism has always been close to the singer's heart, and he has used his music to raise consciousness with performances at Band Aid, Live 8 and Net Aid, among others.
In 2006, U2 joined forces with the punk-influenced band Green Day to record a cover of the Skids' "The Saints Are Coming" to benefit the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The next year, Bono and the rest of U2 contributed the title track to Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur.
Despite his success at raising awareness, Bono has been criticized by many in the aid community for his willingness to work with leaders whom many progressives consider to be anathema (particularly Pres. George W. Bush) in order to try to secure additional money for AIDS programs and debt relief for impoverished African countries. Bono’s most high-profile trip occurred in May 2002 when he traveled throughout Africa with U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill, an excursion the Washington Post called a potential beginning of a “momentous…alliance between liberals and conservatives to launch a fresh assault on global poverty.” Writing in the New York Times, James Traub characterized Bono as both “a kind of one-man state who fills his treasury with the global currency of fame” and “an emanation of the celebrity culture.”
Beyond politics, Bono's activities outside of U2 have included dabbling in the film industry. In 1999 he composed and performed the music for the Wim Wenders film The Million Dollar Hotel, which he co-wrote with screenwriter Nicholas Klein. Bono also made a brief appearance in the movie, his second film role after having previously appeared as himself in Entropy, an indie flick made by Rattle and Hum director Phil Joanou. He also appeared in Julie Taymor's 2007 film Across the Universe, playing Dr. Robert, a psychedelic guru from the Beatles song of the same name. In addition, he starred alongside his band mates in U2 3D, a movie of the band's Vertigo tour concerts in South America filmed in a ground-breaking 3D format, and Daniel Lanois's musical exploration Here Is What Is.
On top of this, Bono has dipped his toe into the literary world, writing the intros for American economist Jeffrey Sachs's 2005 book The End of Poverty, Irish Christian author Adam Harbinson's 2002 critique of the established church They've Hijacked God, and an edition of the Psalms for the 1998 Pocket Canons series. He has also had a book published, 2007's On the Move, in which he lays out his vision, in a single speech, for the changes that could be brought about in the Third World by minor increases in aid provision on the part of the West.
Yet despite all his influence among the wealthy and famous, Bono's greatest impact arguably lies with the millions of ordinary individuals whose lives he has touched and transformed, many of whom have been inspired by him to try and make the world a better place. His capacity for action, his unwavering belief in the potential for individuals to change the world, and his extraordinary powers of persuasion when faced with those hostile to his cause remain unrivalled both within and outside of the music industry. His life has been, and still is, a remarkable example of the triumph of optimism in the face of cynicism and indifference, not to mention how to resist the rock n' roll cliches.
Quotations:
"Music can change the world because it can change people."
"The less you know, the more you believe."
"Where you live in the world should not determine whether you live in the world."
"As a rock star, I have two instincts, I want to have fun, and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both."
"We thought that we had the answers, it was the questions we had wrong."
"The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape."
"Books! I dunno if I ever told you this, but books are the greatest gift one person can give another."
"It's so sweet, I feel like my teeth are rotting when I listen to the radio."
"It's stasis that kills you off in the end, not ambition."
"U2 is an original species... there are colors and feelings and emotional terrain that we occupy that is ours and ours alone."
Membership
Bono is an active supporter of various charities and organizations, such as 46664, ALAFA, Amnesty International, Charity Projects Entertainment Fund, Chernobyl Children International, Clara Lionel Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, DATA, EDUN, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Every Mother Counts, Exploring The Arts, Food Bank For New York City, Global Fund, Greenpeace, Janie's Fund, Keep A Child Alive, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Live 8, Make Poverty History, Mencap, Millennium Promise, Millennium Villages, Mulago Positive Women’s Network, MusiCares, Music Generation, NAACP, Not On Our Watch, ONE Campaign, Oxfam, (RED), Red Cross, Simon Community, Special Olympics, The Lunchbox Fund, UNICEF, UN Millennium Project, War Child, Water.org, Wildlife Conservation Society, Witness, Zero Hunger, and others.
ALAFA
,
United Kingdom
Clinton Global Initiative
,
United States
46664
Amnesty International
Charity Projects Entertainment Fund
Chernobyl Children International
Clara Lionel Foundation
DATA
EDUN
Elton John AIDS Foundation
Food Bank For New York City
,
United States
Every Mother Counts
Exploring The Arts
Global Fund
Greenpeace
Janie’s Fund
Keep A Child Alive
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Live 8
Make Poverty History
Mencap
Millennium Promise
Mulago Positive Women’s Network
MusiCares
Music Generation
ONE
NAACP
Personality
Bono is a man of all trades who uses his celebrity power and status to help make positive changes all over the world. He speaks to world leaders and politicians to help him with those efforts and encourages his fans to take a stand and donate in any way they can.
Bono addressed the graduating class of Harvard University in 2001. In his opening lines, he told the young crowd: "My name is Bono and I’m a rock star. Now, I tell you this not as a boast but as a kind of confession. Because in my view the only thing worse than a rock star is a rock star with a conscience.”
Time magazine ranked him at the 8th place on its list of the "Most Influential Celebrities" in 2013; he was the only person from the music industry in the Top 10.
He has written songs either for, or with, Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Keith Richards, Luciano Pavarotti, Sinéad O'Connor and Howie B. among several others.
Wrote the song "The Sweetest Thing" after missing his wife's birthday. When the song was rerecorded, his wife, Ali Hewson, received all the proceeds of its sale. She gave them, in turn to a charity for victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.
He is the only person, who has been nominated for an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and for the Nobel Prize.
Physical Characteristics:
Height: 1.68 m
Weight: 68 kg
Bono always wears sunglasses when in public, the singer has got glaucoma. He once told: "[I have] very sensitive eyes to light. If somebody takes my photograph, I will see the flash for the rest of the day. My right eye swells up. I've a blockage there, so that my eyes go red a lot. So it's part vanity, it's part privacy and part sensitivity."
He’s had his fair share of scary health moments in his life. In 2000, he had a throat cancer scare, which proved to be negative. 10 years later, he suffered a herniated disc, and in 2014, he suffered a serious crash while riding his bicycle in New York City which led to extensive surgery to fix his injuries.
Quotes from others about the person
"Spending time with Bono was like eating dinner on a train - feels like you're moving, going somewhere. Bono's got the soul of an ancient poet and you have to be careful around him. He can roar 'till the earth shakes. He's also a closet philosopher... talks about the rightness, the richness, glory, beauty, wonder, and magnificence of America." - Bob Dylan
Interests
charity
Politicians
Bobby Shriver
Writers
Neil Jordan
Sport & Clubs
Celtic Football club, chess
Music & Bands
the Who, Pearl Jam, Elvis Presley
Connections
In 1976, Bono started dating Alison Stewart (b. March 23, 1961), commonly known as Ali, with the two eventually marrying on August 21, 1982. They went on to have four children: Jordan (b. May 10, 1989), Memphis Eve (b. July 7, 1991), Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q (b. August 17, 1999), and John Abraham (b. May 20, 2001). To this day, the family continues to make their home in Dublin.
Who Is Bono?
How did an Irish schoolboy become the lead singer of a world-famous rock band and the founder of several humanitarian groups? Track Bono's rise to fame in this exciting addition to the Who Was? series.
2018
Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas
A portrait of the Grammy Award-winning lead singer of U2 discusses how his life and achievements defy rock-star clichés, describing his transformation from a post-punk band singer to one of the industry's most famous figures, his long-time marriage to his childhood sweetheart, and his work as a spokesperson for Third-World issues.
honorary Doctor of Laws
Knight in the Order of the Legion of Honour
Officer of the Order of Liberty
Honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Commander in the Order of Arts and Letters
2014 - Best Original Song - Motion Picture Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Danger Mouse, Song: "Ordinary Love"
2003 - Best Original Song - Motion Picture, Gangs of New York (2002)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Song: "The Hands That Built America"
2014 - Best Original Song - Motion Picture Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Danger Mouse, Song: "Ordinary Love"
2003 - Best Original Song - Motion Picture, Gangs of New York (2002)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Song: "The Hands That Built America"
ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards,
United States
1996 - Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures, Batman Forever (1995)
Shared with: Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. For the song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me".
1996 - Most Performed Songs from Motion Pictures, Batman Forever (1995)
Shared with: Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. For the song "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me".
Capri Song Award,
United States
2013 - Capri Song Award, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Danger Mouse, For the song "Ordinary Love".
2013 - Capri Song Award, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)
Shared with: The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., Danger Mouse, For the song "Ordinary Love".
1988 - The Joshua Tree -Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1989 - "Desire", Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "Where the Streets Have No Name" - Best Performance Music Video
1993 - Achtung Baby - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1994 - Zooropa - Best Alternative Music Performance
1995 - Zoo TV: Live from Sydney, Best Music Video, Long Form
2001 - "Beautiful Day" - Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
2002 - "Elevation" - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" - Best Rock Album, "Walk On" - Record of the Year, "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
2005 - "Vertigo" - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song, Best Short Form Music Video
2006 - "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" - Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" - Song of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "City of Blinding Lights" - Best Rock Song
1988 - The Joshua Tree -Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1989 - "Desire", Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "Where the Streets Have No Name" - Best Performance Music Video
1993 - Achtung Baby - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1994 - Zooropa - Best Alternative Music Performance
1995 - Zoo TV: Live from Sydney, Best Music Video, Long Form
2001 - "Beautiful Day" - Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
2002 - "Elevation" - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" - Best Rock Album, "Walk On" - Record of the Year, "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" - Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals
2005 - "Vertigo" - Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song, Best Short Form Music Video
2006 - "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb" - Album of the Year, Best Rock Album, "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" - Song of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "City of Blinding Lights" - Best Rock Song
1992 - U2: No. 1 Album Rock Tracks Artist, No. 1 Modern Rock Tracks Artist, No. 1 Boxscore Tour,
"Mysterious Ways": No. 1 Album Rock Track,
"One": No. 1 Modern Rock Track
2011 - U2: Top Touring Artist
2012 - U2: Top Touring Artist
2018 - U2: Top Touring Artist, Top Rock Tour
1992 - U2: No. 1 Album Rock Tracks Artist, No. 1 Modern Rock Tracks Artist, No. 1 Boxscore Tour,
"Mysterious Ways": No. 1 Album Rock Track,
"One": No. 1 Modern Rock Track
2011 - U2: Top Touring Artist
2012 - U2: Top Touring Artist
2018 - U2: Top Touring Artist, Top Rock Tour
Billboard Touring Awards,
United States
2005 - Vertigo Tour - Top Tour, Top Draw, Top Boxscore
2009 - U2 360° Tour - Top Boxscore
2010 - U2 360° Tour - Top Tour, Top Draw
2011 - U2 360° Tour - Top Tour, Top Draw
2017 - The Joshua Tree Tour 2017 - Top Boxscore
2005 - Vertigo Tour - Top Tour, Top Draw, Top Boxscore
1988 - U2: International Group
1989 - U2: International Group
1990 - U2: International Group
1993 - U2: Most Successful Live Act
1998 - U2: International Group
2001 - U2: International Group, Outstanding Contribution to Music
1988 - U2: International Group
1989 - U2: International Group
1990 - U2: International Group
1993 - U2: Most Successful Live Act
1998 - U2: International Group
2001 - U2: International Group, Outstanding Contribution to Music
1993 - U2 - Concert of the Year
2000 - Bono (U2) - Best Foreign Male Act, "Beautiful Day" Best Foreign Song
2001 - U2 - Foreign Live Act
2004 - U2 - Best Foreign Band, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - Best Foreign Album
2005 - Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago, Best Foreign DVD
1993 - U2 - Concert of the Year
2000 - Bono (U2) - Best Foreign Male Act, "Beautiful Day" Best Foreign Song
2001 - U2 - Foreign Live Act
2004 - U2 - Best Foreign Band, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - Best Foreign Album
2005 - Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago, Best Foreign DVD
World Soundtrack Awards
2003 - World Soundtrack Award, Best Original Song Written for a Film Gangs of New York (2002)
Shared with: Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr.
For the song "The Hands That Built America".
2003 - World Soundtrack Award, Best Original Song Written for a Film Gangs of New York (2002)
Shared with: Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr.
1987 - "With or Without You" - Viewer's Choice
1989 - "When Love Comes to Town" - Best Video from a Film
1992 - "Even Better Than the Real Thing" - Best Group Video, Best Special Effects in a Video
1995 - "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" - International Viewer's Choice for MTV Europe
2001 - U2 - Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
1987 - "With or Without You" - Viewer's Choice
1989 - "When Love Comes to Town" - Best Video from a Film
1992 - "Even Better Than the Real Thing" - Best Group Video, Best Special Effects in a Video
1995 - "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" - International Viewer's Choice for MTV Europe
2001 - U2 - Best Irish Band; All That You Can't Leave Behind - Best Irish Album; Bono and The Edge - Best Irish Songwriter
2002 - U2 - Best Irish Band; Best Live Performance; All That You Can't Leave Behind - Best Irish Rock Album; "Walk On" - Best Irish Rock Single; "Elevation" - Best Irish Video; Bono - Best Irish Songwriter
2003 - U2 - Best Irish Group; Bono - Humanitarian Award
2006 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Best Irish Album; U2 - Best Irish Band, Best Live Performance
2010 - No Line on the Horizon - Best Irish Album; U2 - Best Irish Band, Best Live Performance
2001 - U2 - Best Irish Band; All That You Can't Leave Behind - Best Irish Album; Bono and The Edge - Best Irish Songwriter
2002 - U2 - Best Irish Band; Best Live Performance; All That You Can't Leave Behind - Best Irish Rock Album; "Walk On" - Best Irish Rock Single; "Elevation" - Best Irish Video; Bono - Best Irish Songwriter
2003 - U2 - Best Irish Group; Bono - Humanitarian Award
2006 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Best Irish Album; U2 - Best Irish Band, Best Live Performance
2010 - No Line on the Horizon - Best Irish Album; U2 - Best Irish Band, Best Live Performance
Music Video Production Awards,
United States
2002 - "Elevation" - Soundtrack Video of the Year
2008 - "The Saints are Coming" (ft. Green Day) - Best Rock Video
2002 - "Elevation" - Soundtrack Video of the Year
2008 - "The Saints are Coming" (ft. Green Day) - Best Rock Video
1987 - The Joshua Tree Tour, Major Tour of the Year
1992 - Zoo TV Tour, Most Creative Stage Production
2001 - Elevation Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2005 - Vertigo Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2009 - U2 360° Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2016 - Innocence + Experience Tour - Most Creative Stage Production
1987 - The Joshua Tree Tour, Major Tour of the Year
1992 - Zoo TV Tour, Most Creative Stage Production
2001 - Elevation Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2005 - Vertigo Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2009 - U2 360° Tour - Major Tour of the Year, Most Creative Stage Production
2016 - Innocence + Experience Tour - Most Creative Stage Production
1990 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1991 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1992 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1993 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1994 - U2 - Award of Merit
1996 - U2 - Inspiration Award
2001 - U2 - People's Choice Award
2004 - U2 - Icon Award
2005 - U2 - Best Live Act
2006 - U2 - Award of Award, The Edge - Innovation In Sound Award
2009 - The Unforgettable Fire - Classic Album
2011 - U2 - Greatest Act of the Last 25 Years
2016 - U2 - Best Live Act
2016 - The Edge - Gibson Les Paul Award
1990 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1991 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1992 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1993 - U2 - Best Act in the World Today
1994 - U2 - Award of Merit
1996 - U2 - Inspiration Award
2001 - U2 - People's Choice Award
2004 - U2 - Icon Award
2005 - U2 - Best Live Act
2006 - U2 - Award of Award, The Edge - Innovation In Sound Award
2009 - The Unforgettable Fire - Classic Album
2011 - U2 - Greatest Act of the Last 25 Years
2016 - U2 - Best Live Act
2016 - The Edge - Gibson Les Paul Award
MTV Europe Music Award
1995 - U2 - Best Group
1997 - U2 - Best Live Act
1999 - Bono - Free Your Mind
2009 - U2 - Best Live Act
2017 - U2 - Global Icon