Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan recently opened up about a long-standing friendly rivalry with a fellow musician during an appearance on the Let Me Ask My Dad Podcast.
When asked about whether he had ever experienced a fun rivalry with another musician, Bryan shared the story of his decades-long competition with David Rosenthal. Rosenthal serves as keyboard player and music director for Billy Joel’s band.
“I have a gigantic one,” Bryan said. “I’ve had my whole life, who’s now my friend, David Rosenthal. He is the keyboard player and music director of the Billy Joel band.”
Bryan explained how their rivalry began during their youth. It stemmed from their shared background and similar career paths.
“So we went to the same temple and high school,” he continued. “I think he’s three years older. Great piano player, classical. I’m the younger one. And then we would get in bands and then once we got down to the only four days a year Jews, just the high holidays. We’d see each other.”
The keyboardist detailed how their careers progressed in parallel. Each musician achieved success with different high-profile acts.
“So I was going to school. It wasn’t Bon Jovi. I was in Atlantic City Expressway, a cover band and his first band was Cyndi Lauper,” Bryan recalled. “He’s playing keyboards for Cindy Lauper. So I see him at the high holidays and he’s like, ‘I’m playing with Cindy Lauper now.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, you got to be kidding me.’ Then he comes back next year, he’s playing with Rainbow.”
Bryan then described the moment when their friendly competition reached its conclusion.
“Then later, I said, ‘I’m in Bon Jovi, this new band. And we got a record deal,'” he said. “He was still in Rainbow. Then in 1986, we released ‘Slippery When Wet.’ He showed up for high holidays. He looked at me and he said, ‘Winner. You won.’ And we are still friends to this day.”
The rivalry between these two keyboardists reflects the broader competitive nature of the music industry. Talented musicians often find themselves pursuing similar opportunities and career paths.
Wikipedia documented that David Rosenthal was born in 1961 and has maintained an active career as a keyboardist and music director since 1981. He earned three Grammy nominations throughout his impressive tenure in the industry. His extensive resume includes collaborations with renowned artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Enrique Iglesias, Robert Palmer, and Whitesnake. This demonstrates the breadth of his musical versatility.
Rosenthal’s work extends beyond his current role with Billy Joel. He notably contributed to Whitesnake’s 1989 album “Slip of the Tongue” and played on guitar virtuoso Steve Vai’s Grammy-nominated album “Passion and Warfare” in 1990. These collaborations highlight the high level of musicianship that made him such a formidable rival in Bryan’s eyes during their early careers.
In 1992, Rosenthal founded the rock group Red Dawn. The group included prominent musicians from established bands like Blue Öyster Cult and Alice Cooper. The group released the critically acclaimed album “Never Say Surrender” in 1993. This showcased Rosenthal’s abilities not only as a performer but also as a producer and songwriter.
The parallel success of both musicians underscores how their friendly rivalry ultimately benefited both careers. Each pushed the other to achieve greater heights in the competitive world of rock music. Their story demonstrates that professional competition can coexist with lasting friendship when built on mutual respect and shared experiences.
