04/03/2026
the 5 minute portrait...
today is a 2 parter, about 2 New Jersey Musicians and their connection...not only because they are friends and have performed together, but because I didn't learn from one phone call..read how I said the same thing to both at separate times. Obviously, I didn't learn the first time but I was young.
JON BON JOVI
May 6, 2006
NYC
I used to see Bon Jovi many times while I lived at the Jersey Shore. In the late 80s, he played softball every weekend with a lot of the local musicians-several that were close friends of mine. I used to go watch the games and photograph it, and Jon was the pitcher.
I remember the first time I heard “Livin on a Prayer.” I was at my then friend Steve Zuckerman’s apt where bunch of us gathered and he played it over and over. It was-and still is-a great song. A few days later, Lee Mrowicki, the DJ at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, played it on a loop also.
In 1988, I decided to do a calendar (and a photo exhibit) to benefit the Homeless in New Jersey, after seeing them all over the state and wanting to help. I contacted DJs and writers to get a list of “the BEST New Jersey Musicians, both local and Internationally known.” If a band/musician made every list, they were showcased on a month. Those who only made 1 list appeared on the centerfold. I think I had a band/musucian from all 21 counties in the state. I was pretty much a live concert photographer at the time with almost zero studio experience and wanted to learn something so I tried to set up studio/location shoots as much as possible.
I contacted Jon’s manager and he told him to meet him at his office on Central Park South in the city with whatever photos I had so he could approve one since Jon didn’t have time to pose for a shoot.
At the time, NYC terrified me, but I had to do what I had to do. I took the train in from the Shore and made my way to his office and…he wasn’t there. He blew me off. The calendar was going to print in a few weeks and I didn’t have Bon Jovi’s approval yet. He was the last one left.
A few days later I am in my apartment and my phone rings. This was before the days of caller ID and when I picked up and said “hello,” the man on the other line said “may I speak with Debra Rothenberg?”
ME: "who’s calling?”
HIM: “This is Jon Bon Jovi.”
ME: “yea, sure, who is this?”
HIM: “This is Jon Bon Jovi.”
ME: "bu****it, who is this?”
HIM: “This is Jon Jon Jovi.”
ME: “Prove it.”
HIM: “Prove it. How?”
ME: “Sing to me.”
HIM: “Once upon a time, not so long ago. Tommy used to work on the docks, Union’s been on strike, he’s down on his luck it’s tough, so tough..”
He paused and I was in a panic. With total embarrassment in my voice, I said “sorry Jon. What can I do for you?”
He said “I saw a copy of your calendar and I have to be on it. What can I do?” I said “well, last week I took a day off of work and travelled all the way into the city to meet your manager and he blew me off. This goes to print next week. Do you have time for a quick session?”
He said “I don’t but if you bring any photos you have to the Pony Saturday night, I will be playing a few songs with Glen Burtnick and I will pick one.” I said “where do I meet you?” He said “come back stage door after the show.” I said “They won’t let me back there” and he said “I will be at the door waiting for you-just knock.”
After the show, I went to the back area door, knocked and like he said, he was there. I went in, he gave me a hug and we talked, he apologized for his manager blowing me off and said he wished he had time to pose for some photos but he loved one of the live shots and asked if I could use that one. He also said he loved the calendar and even offered to sell it at his concerts. When I said I was only printing 5000 copies, he even offered to pay for more copies to be printed.
He was so kind, so gracious, and an all around great man.
This photo was taken in May 2006 when I literally ran into him at an event I was shooting in the City. I don’t think he remembered me, but he was as kind as he was on that day we met at the Pony in 1988.
AND:
GLEN BURTNIK
PHILADELPHIA, 1987
I had known of Glen Burtnik from the moment I moved to the Jersey Shore in late 1986. Everyone knew Glen. I saw him a few times at the Pony (The Stone Pony in Asbury Park) but I don’t think we ever spoke and I am pretty sure he didn’t know who I was.
He was filming a video for the song “Follow You” from his latest release, “Heroes and Zeros” at my editor at the newspaper I was working for asked if I wanted to shoot the video being made in Philly. Of course I said yes. It was my first time shooting stills during a video shoot and it was a fun day. While this photo was not a “planned” portrait, I was pretty sure Glen saw me down front and stayed still for a few seconds while I took this shot.
The paper ran a double page spread of the making of the video and the video was great. It still is. This was the photo Glen chose for my calendar to benefit the homeless in NJ (which was also a photo exhibit.) You would think I would have learned after Jon Bon Jovi called me and I didn’t believe it was him and asked him to sing to me to prove it was him-I had the EXACT conversation with Glen Burtnick when he called me. What’s crazy is if he called me now, 39 years after meeting him, I would recognize his voice.
Glen Burtnick ALWAYS impressed me. He was 100% in charge of his career. He sent out his own postcards to people when he was doing a show, called people, sent out his own press releases. He handled everything himself. AND this was BEFORE Social Media made it easier. I recently saw a new video he made and he still not only looks amazing, his voice is as strong as ever. Every bit of success he has enjoyed he has earned. He’s always been one of the hardest working musicians out there..a super nice.
Even though I never had a private session with him, I still love this photo and don’t know if I could top it.
