Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora Honored With Ivor Novello Award

Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were honored at the 2021 Ivor Novello Awards with the Special International Award for their decades of songwriting excellence.

The U.K.-based awards, which recognize achievements in songwriting and composing, have been taking place since 1956 and traditionally honor musicians and composers from the U.K. and Ireland.

Per Variety, JBJ and Sambora were presented the Special International Award by Nile Rodgers. Bon Jovi wasn't in attendance to accept his award, but he sent a video message. Sambora, however, was there in person, and Variety noted, "He duly delivered a lengthy, somewhat rambling speech that will live long in the crowd’s memory, if not necessarily, you suspect, in Sambora’s own." The guitarist did end his speech saying, "One note can stop time, one chord can save a life and one song can change the world."

Sambora left Bon Jovi in 2013. In recent years, JBJ has said in interviews he misses Sambora and most recently said in an October 2020 interview, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that Richie had his life together and was still in the band."