Hugh McDonald

Who is Hugh McDonald?

Hugh John McDonald is a well known session musician, best known for being the unofficial bassist in the American rock band Bon Jovi. Before joining Bon Jovi he was the bass player for the David Bromberg Band, touring extensively worldwide and playing on many Bromberg albums. He has played with many other artists, both live and in the studio, and has recorded with Willie Nelson, Richie Sambora, Steve Goodman, Ringo Starr, Lita Ford, Michael Bolton, Cher, Alice Cooper, Jon Bon Jovi, Ricky Martin, Michael Bublé, Bret Michaels, others and did a few dates during the Shania Twain, the Woman in Me TV tour.

He has worked with Bon Jovi in the studio since its inception and has been their live bassist since Alec John Such's departure after Cross Road was released in 1994, but is still regarded as an 'unofficial' member of Bon Jovi. Although he records with the band in studio and performs live on stage and during publicity performances, McDonald is left out of publicity shoots and album covers. He appears in some song videos but not others. Band members say they agreed never to officially replace former bass player Alec John Such. Regardless, his work with the band earned him a 1995 Metal Edge Readers' Choice Award for "Best Bassist".