David Bryan

David Bryan Rashbaum (born February 7, 1962), best known as simply David Bryan is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the keyboard player for the rock band Bon Jovi, with which he has also co-written songs and performed backing vocals. He is the writer of the successful Broadway musical Memphis. In 2018, Bryan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Bon Jovi.\n', ' David Bryan Rashbaum was born on February 7, 1962 in Perth Amboy, New Jersey and raised in Edison, New Jersey. His father, Eddie Rashbaum, played the trumpet. Bryan was raised Jewish. He attended elementary school at Clara Barton, where he played many instruments including violin, viola, trumpet and clarinet. He also attended Herbert Hoover Middle School, then J. P. Stevens High School, from which he graduated. Bryan began to learn piano at age seven, and played keyboards for a band called Transition with bass player Steve Sileo and lead singer Mike Ziegel. He studied with Emery Hack, a professor at Juilliard, for thirteen years. Bryan was accepted into Rutgers University, but dropped out to attend Juilliard.\n', ' Bryan was the first Bon Jovi member to receive a call when Jon Bon Jovi learned that he had received a recording contract, and agreed to join the band. He choose his performance name when he grew tired of continually having to spell out his entire name. At the time, Bryan was attending Rutgers University and was studying Pre-Med with a 4.0 GPA. Bryan has played keyboards and sung on all of Bon Jovi\'s albums, as well as the solo projects of Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora. Bryan co-wrote the songs "Love Lies" and "Breakout" on Bon Jovi\'s self-titled first album, "Only Lonely"; "The Hardest Part Is the Night" and "To the Fire" on 7800° Fahrenheit; the hit "In These Arms" on Keep the Faith; and "Last Cigarette" on Have A Nice Day (plus the international bonus track "Unbreakable") .\n', '