Hugh McDonald - Bon Jovi

Hugh John McDonald (born 1950) from Philadelphia, USA, is best known for his work as the bassist and backup singer for Bon Jovi, where he replaced Alec John Such following the release of the album “Cross Road“ back in 1994. However, even before joining Bon Jovi, the versatile musician had already built an impressive career, playing bass in the David Bromberg Band, touring the world and releasing numerous albums.

But that’s not all—Hugh also played bass, both live and in the studio, for renowned artists such as Willie Nelson, Steve Goodman, Ringo Starr, Lita Ford, Michael Bolton, Cher, Alice Cooper, Ricky Martin, Michael Bublé, Poison, and Shania Twain, to name but a few. Although Hugh was initially “only” an unofficial member of Bon Jovi, his powerful bass playing earned him the Metal Edge Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Bassist” as early as 1995.

Hugh McDonald also contributed as a bassist on Jon Bon Jovi’s solo album “Destination Anywhere“ and was a member of Jon Bon Jovis backing band, The Big Dogs. In 2018, the bassist received one of the greatest honors a musician can achieve: he was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame“ as a member of Bon Jovi.

Hugh McDonald and Sadowsky share a decades-long partnership. For us, it’s an incredible honor—and one of the highest compliments to our work—that a musician of this caliber has relied on our instruments for so many years!