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Bono Facts & Worksheets

Bono, born Paul David Hewson, is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. Bono is the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band U2.

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Bono, born Paul David Hewson, is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. Bono is the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band U2. He co-founded ONE, a global campaign and advocacy organization with over 9 million members dedicated to ending extreme poverty.

See the fact file below for more information on Bono, or you can download our 23-page Bono worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EARLY LIFE

  • Bono was born in Dublin on May 10, 1960. He is the second child of Iris and Bob Hewson. His elder brother, Norman, was eight (8) years older than him. 
  • Bono grew up in the Finglas neighborhood on Dublin’s Northside. Bono and his brother grew up in a multi-national Christian family. Their mother belonged to the Church of Ireland, and their father was a Roman Catholic. Norman’s parents agreed that he would be raised as an Anglican while Bono would be presented as a Catholic. 
  • According to a report published in 2022 by the Irish Independent, a daily newspaper and online publication in Ireland, Bono discovered that Scott Rankin, a relative he mistook for his cousin, was his half-brother.
  • Rankin resulted from Bono’s father’s liaison with his wife’s sister Barbara.
  • While growing up, Bono was interested in music and considered Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Leonard Cohen his teenage idols. 
  • Bono’s mother died in 1974 after acquiring a cerebral aneurysm. Some songs from his band U2, like “I Will Follow,” “Mofo,” “Out of Control,” “Lemon,” and “Tomorrow,” were dedicated to his mother.

BONO AND U2

  • On September 25, 1976, Bono, David Evans (“The Edge”), his brother Dik Evans, and Adam Clayton answered an advertisement on a Mount Temple bulletin board posted by fellow student Larry Mullen Jr. looking for persons interested in starting a rock band. 
  • The band held jam sessions on occasion, during which they performed covers of other bands. Bono wanted to play songs by The Rolling Stones and The Beach Boys because he was tired of extended guitar solos and hard rock.
  • Because the band couldn’t play covers well, they began writing their own tunes.
  • Initially, Bono sang, played guitar, and composed songs for the band.
  • Bono took lessons in playing piano to improve his songwriting skills. 
  • Throughout U2’s music career, Bono wrote several songs for the band. These songs revolve around social and political themes.
  • Bono was noted for his defiant tone throughout the band’s early years, which evolved into political wrath and rage during the band’s War, The Joshua Tree, and Rattle and Hum eras.
  • His lyrics regularly refer to a religious link or meaning in songs like “Gloria” from the band’s album October and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” from The Joshua Tree.
  • Following the Enniskillen bombing on November 8, 1987, which killed 11 people and injured 63, the Provisional IRA, an Irish Republican paramilitary, vowed to kidnap Bono because of his outspoken political views.
  • U2’s sound and purpose shifted considerably with their 1991 album, Achtung Baby. Bono’s lyrics became more personal, influenced by events in the band members’ personal lives. 
  • Bono’s primary persona during the Zoo TV Tour was “the Fly,” which originated from wearing an oversized pair of blaxploitation sunglasses given to him by wardrobe manager Fintan Fitzgerald to lighten the mood in the studio.
  • This was an attempt to be more lighthearted and escape the group’s reputation of being overly severe and self-righteous.

SOLO ACT AND COLLABORATIONS

  • Bono went on a 14-date book tour across Europe and North America called “Stories of Surrender” in November 2022 to promote his novel Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.
  • He narrated and acted out parts from his book and sang U2 songs in stripped-down renditions for the shows. Despite being billed as a “one-man show,” musicians Kate Ellis, Gemma Doherty, and U2 producer Jacknife Lee assisted with the performances. Bono will continue the tour with an 11-show residency at New York City’s Beacon Theatre from April to May 2023.
  • Aside from U2, Bono has worked with Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Luciano Pavarotti, among others.
  • Outside of U2, Bono and the Edge have written and recorded several songs together. They composed the music for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage production of A Clockwork Orange, which premiered in London in 1990.
  • Tina Turner sang the title theme song of the 1995 James Bond film GoldenEye, written by the pair. When Bono and the Edge composed the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, they returned to the stage; they were featured on the soundtrack’s single “Rise Above 1” with Reeve Carney in 2011.

LIFE AS AN ACTIVIST

  • As a member of U2 and as an individual, Bono has been interested in philanthropy and advocacy for human rights and social justice causes. He claimed that seeing one of the Secret Policeman’s Ball benefit events performed by Monty Python member John Cleese and producer Martin Lewis for the human-rights organization Amnesty International in 1979 inspired him to become interested in social and political concerns.
  • Do They Know It’s Christmas? a Band-Aid charity single, was created in 1984 by musician Bob Geldof. Bono reprised his singing performance for the 2004 Band-Aid 20 and the Band-Aid 30 in 2014. U2 played at the Live Aid charity event in July 1985, which was organized by Geldof to aid the Ethiopian famine; he and Bono later partnered to organize the Live Eight concerts in 2005, in which U2 also performed.
  • From September to October 1985, Bono and his wife Ali Hewson traveled to Africa on a charitable mission, spending a month at a feeding center in Ajibar, Ethiopia. 
  • Together with other volunteers, they created an educational program of songs and one-act plays to teach Ethiopian youngsters essential topics like health and hygiene.
  • The trip ignited Bono’s interest in African concerns, which would define his future humanitarian and activist actions.
  • Since 1999, Bono has been actively committed to raising awareness of Africa’s situation and campaigning on its behalf. From 1999 to 2000, Bono was a member of the Jubilee 2000 coalition, where he worked as an activist on the group’s Drop the Debt campaign.
  • Bono and Bobby Shriver and activists from Drop the Debt founded the non-governmental organization (NGO) DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) in 2002.
  • The George Soros, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Edward W. Scott contributed to the organization’s funding.
  • In 2006, Bono and Shriver joined again to establish (Red), a company that licenses the Product Red brand to partner firms to collect funds for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Each manufacturer designs a product with the Product Red brand, and a portion of the earnings from selling these labeled products benefit the Global Fund.
  • Bono has encouraged heads of state and members of legislatures worldwide as part of his work with ONE, a global campaign and organization aiming to provide help for people with AIDS. 
  • This lobbying, together with the efforts of ONE’s grassroots membership, has contributed to enacting and funding government policies and initiatives that have saved millions of lives since its foundation.
  • ONE promotes the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals and policies that help individuals living in extreme poverty worldwide.
  • ONE campaign for a wide range of worldwide development concerns, including the fight against treatable and preventable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis; expanded access to safe drinking water; and increased access to education; energy; reduced corruption and improved transparency standards and government accountability to citizens; fairer trade; primary education for all; and increased international affairs budgets.

Bono Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Bono across 23 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Bono. Bono is the lead singer and lyricist for the rock band U2.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Bono Facts
  2. About Bono
  3. Bono’s Life
  4. Fact or Bluff
  5. U2
  6. Advocacy
  7. Life in Music
  8. Superstar 
  9. Love that Song
  10. Alternative Rock
  11. Band Mates

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Bono?

Bono, whose full name is Paul David Hewson, is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Bono is also recognized for his activism and philanthropic work.

What is Bono’s role in U2?

Bono is the lead vocalist and frontman of U2. He co-founded the band in 1976 along with guitarist The Edge (David Howell Evans), bassist Adam Clayton, and drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Bono’s distinctive voice and passionate performances have been instrumental in U2’s success and popularity.

What are some of Bono’s notable achievements?

Bono’s contributions to music and humanitarian causes have garnered him numerous accolades and recognition. He has received multiple Grammy Awards with U2, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year. Bono has also been involved in various philanthropic initiatives, notably his work to combat global poverty and disease through organizations like DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) and ONE Campaign.

What are some of Bono’s notable songs?

As the lead vocalist of U2, Bono has lent his powerful voice to numerous hit songs. Some of U2’s most well-known tracks include “With or Without You,” “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Beautiful Day,” “One,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” Bono’s lyrics often touch upon themes of love, social justice, and spirituality.

How has Bono been involved in activism?

Bono has been a prominent advocate for various causes and has used his platform to raise awareness and inspire change. He has campaigned for debt relief, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, human rights, and the fight against poverty. Bono’s activism extends beyond his music career, as he has met with world leaders, addressed the United Nations, and collaborated with other artists and organizations to promote social and political change.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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