Paul Kevin Jonas was born in Wyckoff, NJ on Nov. 5, 1987 to Kevin Sr. and Denise, who were both traveling musicians. Joseph Adam Jonas was born on August 15, 1989 in Casa Grande, AZ, while Nicholas Jerry Jonas was born on Sept. 16, 1992 in Dallas, TX. Their youngest brother Frankie – nicknamed the “Bonus Jonas” for touring and appearing at events with his rock star siblings – was born back in their hometown of Wyckoff.
The Jonas Brothers grew up singing and performing, but it was Nick who got discovered at a barbershop humming tunes while getting a haircut. He started acting in Broadway productions such as “Annie Get Your Gun” in 2001 and “Beauty and the Beast” in 2002 before writing and recording a demo. With the help of his brothers, Nick recorded songs that were then sent to the head of Columbia Records. The label met with the young singer and discovered talent ran in the family. Columbia signed all three Jonas brothers in 2005. A year later, the New Jersey boys – who changed their band name from Sons of Jonas to Jonas Brothers – released their first album It’s About Time, and with the help of the first single “Mandy,” teenage girls everywhere started falling in love.
“Mandy,” written about Joe’s ex-girlfriend reached the number four spot on MTV’s “Total Request Live” (1998- ), the music video countdown show that launched the careers of former teen idols Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Hilary Duff. The brothers were visiting a radio station in Philadelphia when news of their video on “TRL” reached them. “We even joked about the video being on ‘TRL’ earlier that day,” Nick said. “We couldn’t believe it!”
When the follow up single “Year 3000” went to Number One on Radio Disney in 2006, the Jonas Brothers suddenly became the hottest teen stars to watch, although their album did not do as well in the charts. A move to the Disney-owned Hollywood Records was just what the doctor ordered. Even though the band and their team (Kevin Sr. as their manager) decided to knock on Hollywood Records’ door, the label was more than ready to sign the brothers. Since signing on to the label in 2007, the Jonas Brothers recorded the theme song “Kids of the Future” for the animated film “Meet the Robinsons” (2007) and released a self-titled album that reached number five on the Billboard Hot 200 chart during its first week of sales.
The success of their second album Jonas Brothers – fueled by infectious hits such as “S.O.S.” and “When You Look Me In The Eyes” – plus an opening slot in Miley Cyrus’ “Best of Both Worlds Tour” cemented the Jonas Brothers’ place as bonafide pop idols. Fans loved the high-energy shows the brothers put on and their genuine affection and gratitude towards their followers. When Nick announced he had Type 1 diabetes, Jonas fans commended him for his bravery and his efforts to help others suffering from the disease. The band also donated 10 percent of their earnings to Nick’s charity, “Change for the Children’s Foundation.”
The Kenny Ortega-directed “Best of Both Worlds Tour” made Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers 2007’s hottest teen acts. The band also got to work with the pop star on her TV show “Hannah Montana” (Disney Channel, 2006- ) in the episode “Me and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas and Mr. Jonas,” which aired right after the premiere of “High School Musical 2” and received over 10 million viewers. The night was teen idol heaven as well as a passing of the torch from the cast of “HSM” to the newly minted Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers as Disney’s latest teen sensations.
Just like Timberlake and Spears years before them, Miley and Nick became romantically linked. The two teen stars tried to keep their relationship secret, mostly because of their ages and because the Jonas Brothers all proudly wore “purity rings,” a symbol to stay celibate until marriage. Teen magazines, tabloids, and even Ryan Seacrest’s L.A. radio morning show followed the “Niley” relationship until their breakup in early 2008. Neither of them discussed the reason for breaking up, although both hinted it was because of their busy schedules. When they were not in the studio recording or on the road touring, the brothers appeared on several TV programs, including “The Oprah Winfrey Show” (ABC, 1986- ), “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (NBC, 2003- ), and were featured performers on “Dancing With The Stars” (ABC, 2005- ) and “American Idol” (FOX, 2002- ).
After guest-starring on “Hannah,” the Jonas Brothers could not pass up another acting opportunity, and were offered a starring role in “Camp Rock,” along with another Disney breakout star, Demi Lovato. The movie – about a group of teens at a performance camp was already dubbed “the next ‘High School Musical’” before the title credits even rolled. There were also plans for the Jonas Brothers to star in a Disney Channel original show titled “J.O.N.A.S” (Junior Operatives Networking As Spies) about a pop band who also work as secret agents. The 2007 writer’s strike postponed production on the series, and the brothers instead filmed a reality show for Disney Channel titled “Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream” (2008) that followed them backstage, on the road, and at home during their tour. The Jonas Brothers ended the summer of 2008 on another high note, releasing their third album A Little Bit Longer in August.