The founder and iconic frontman of Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi, recently posted two photos on his Instagram account and mourned the passing of the person who contributed immensely to his success back in 1983, DJ Chip Hobart.
As you know, John Bon Jovi is now famous for his successful career in the rock scene but there was a time when he was just a kid who wanted to hear his song on the radio. Back in the ’80s, Jon had just started his career as a musician and although he founded bands and tried his best, he didn’t achieve want he wanted and needed a nudge.
He visited a newly established local radio station named WAPP 103.5 FM ‘The Apple’ in Lake Success, New York. Jon had gone to the station hoping to write and sing the jingles for the station. However, DJ Chip Hobart and promotion director John Lassman offered him to give them a song to add to the station’s compilation album of local homegrown talent.
After some thought, Jon Bon Jovi decided on ‘Runaway‘ which was recorded a year earlier, and gave it to Hobart and Lassman. Hobart really liked the song and said that it ‘sounded like a hit’ and promised Jon to get it on the radio. Recently, Jon thought about the good old days and decided to call Chip Hobart to thank him once again for having faith in him.
Unfortunately, he soon found out that he had passed away in March. With his recent post, he thanked Chip ‘for the 1001st time’ and promised that the next time they play ‘Runaway,’ he will dedicate to the loving memory of Chip Hobart, who made Jon Bon Jovi’s childhood dream come true.
Jon Bon Jovi bid farewell to Chip Hobart using the follwong words:
“Every kid dreams of hearing his song on the radio… In 1983 I took it to another level by taking ‘Runaway’ to a radio station. It was a brand new station located just outside of New York City called WAPP… They were so new they didn’t have a receptionist to stop me from getting the attention of DJ Chip Hobart. I hung around after his shift to tell him my story. We played the song, Chip said the song sounded like a hit and committed to getting ‘Runaway’ on the radio and he did.
I’ve thanked him a thousand times for that day. This week I reached out to my old friend to ask him to play ‘Runaway’ on a very special project we’ve been working on. I found out that Chip Hobart had passed away in March… Thank you, my friend, for the 1001st time.
We’ll dedicate the first spin to him.
Love to his family.”
You can check out the photos that Jon Bon Jovi posted on his Instagram account and listen to ‘Runaway‘ below.
