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Bon Jovi announces first tour since Jon Bon Jovi's vocal cord surgery

PEOPLE
Jon Bon Jovi

Decades into his career and the unthinkable happened. It was 2022, and Jon Bon Jovi began struggling through his songs. He saw a doctor who said one of his vocal cords was atrophying. He needed major surgery.

Bon Jovi had the procedure, and in the years since, has undergone extensive rehab, leading to the current moment: Next summer his band, Bon Jovi, will embark on their first tour in four years.

The “Forever Tour” kicks off with four nights at New York's Madison Square Garden before the band heads to Edinburgh, Scotland; Dublin and London.

“There is a lot of joy in this announcement — joy that we can share these nights together with our amazing fans and joy that the band can be together,” Bon Jovi said in a statement. “I’ve spoken extensively on my gratitude but I will say it again, I’m deeply grateful that the fans and the brotherhood of this band have been patient and allowed me the time needed to get healthy and prepare for touring. I’m ready and excited!”

Bon Jovi's last concert was held on April 30, 2022, in Nashville — as seen in the 2024 Hulu documentary, “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.”

An artist presale begins Tuesday at 10 a.m. Eastern. General sales launch Oct. 31, also at 10 a.m. Eastern, via bonjovi.com.

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Suzanne Somers

Suzanne Somers’ widower to release AI clone of late actress

Two years after Suzanne Somers died following a decades-long battle with breast cancer, her widower is preparing to publicly release of a clone of the beloved “ Three’s Company” star.

Alan Hamel, who married the actress in 1977, revealed that he’s forging ahead with plans to create an artificial intelligence version of his late wife.

“Obviously, Suzanne was greatly loved, not only by her family, but by millions of people,” he told People magazine in an interview published Tuesday. “One of the projects that we have coming up is a really interesting project, the Suzanne AI Twin.”

According to Hamel, who shared a demonstration of the lifelike robot earlier this year, Somers had been kicking around the idea for decades with inventor Ray Kurzweil.

“He became our friend 30-some years ago and we talked about this,” Hamel said. “It took decades to happen, but he knew it was going to happen, and he shared that information with us.”

Hamel told the outlet it all his wife’s idea as a way to “provide a service” to her fans and to the readers of her books who “need information about their health.”

“She said, ‘Let’s do it.’ So that’s the reason we did it,” he said. “I love being able to fulfill her wish.”

Upon the completion of the AI clone, which includes training it on the ThighMaster trailblazer’s 27 books and hundreds of previously recorded interviews, he plans to put it on SuzanneSomers.com so that fans can interact with it any time they want.

Hamel said he considers the project “perfect,” even though it’s not quite ready for public consumption just yet.

“When you look at the finished one next to the real Suzanne, you can’t tell the difference. It’s amazing,” he said. “I mean, I’ve been with Suzanne for 55 years, so I know what her face looks like, and when I just look at the two of them side by side, I really can’t tell which one is the real and which one is the AI.”

Somers died in October 2023, a day before her 77th birthday, after living with breast cancer for 23 years.

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Mariah Carey

MusiCares names Mariah Carey its 2026 Person of the Year

MusiCares, an organization that helps music professionals who need financial, personal or medical assistance, will honor Mariah Carey as its 2026 Person of the Year.

The organization announced Tuesday that it will honor the five-time Grammy Award winning artist for providing support to many different underserved communities. Those efforts include providing relief for those impacted by Hurricane Katrina and the COVID-19 pandemic as well as founding Camp Mariah to support underserved youth and advance health, education and social welfare.

Carey will be honored at the 35th annual Person of the Year benefit gala at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Jan. 30, two nights before the 2025 Grammy Awards are held at the adjacent Crypto.com Arena.

The announcement arrives on heels of “ “Here for It All,” her first studio album in seven years, out last month.

“I think songwriting has definitely been my outlet for what I need when I’m ever going through something,” Carey told the Associated Press in September. “Whenever I’m feeling like the need to express myself. It’s definitely songwriting.”

“Mariah Carey’s influence extends far beyond her remarkable artistry,” MusiCares executive director Theresa Wolters said in a statement. “Her work exemplifies the values at the heart of MusiCares: creating systems of care that lift people up and ensure music professionals and communities can thrive.”

Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy and MusiCares, described Carey as “a true creative force and once-in-a-generation talent,” in a statement. “Her artistry and her voice have helped shape the sound of our times. We look forward to celebrating her remarkable career on this very special night.”

Last year, MusiCares honored the Grateful Dead as its 2025 Persons of the Year for their philanthropic efforts, their unique ability to foster community through concerts and for their impact on American music on their 60th anniversary. The year prior, Jon Bon Jovi was honored.

From combined wire services

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