Lexi Ryals - Jammin with the Jonas Brothers: An Unauthorized Biography

MEET THE JONAS BROTHERS

M arch 1, 2006, was a chilly day in New York City, but things were heating up in MTV Studios, where Total Request Live was getting ready to film. The studio audience was full of excited high school girls, not to mention the four hundred fans camped out on the sidewalk below. They were all there because one of their favorite bands was making an appearance on the show that day.

Filming began and everyone cheered as the videos for fan favorites like the Pussycat Dolls Beep, Aly & AJs Rush, Kanye Wests Touch the Sky, and Ashlee Simpsons L.O.V.E. were played. But no one in the audience was as excited as the three brothers waiting in the wings. Kevin, Joseph, and Nick Jonas were about to watch the video for their first single, Mandy, have its world premiere. Then they were giving an interview with one of TVs hottest VJs. These were pretty big steps for the three teenage brothers from New Jersey.

Finally the moment the boys had been waiting for arrived. Vanessa Minnillo, one of TRLs hosts and a certified hottie, announced the world premiere of the brand-spankin-new video from the Jonas Brothers. The bands pop-punk, high-energy music filled the studio as their first-ever music video lit up the screen. The brothers were probably pretty nervous as they waited for the crowd to react, but they didnt have anything to worry about. As the last few notes of Mandy died away, the crowd went wild.

After a quick commercial break, the Jonas Brothers took the stage. The boys smiled and waved as they were introduced.

This is get to know the Jonas Brothers, Vanessa announced. She quizzed the boys on their passions, musical influences, female fans, and rejectionand they answered every question like pros. But it was the youngest band member, Nick, who stole the show with his smooth moves.

Nicholas, who do you think are the sexiest sisters: the Olsens, the Duffs, or the Hiltons? Vanessa asked him.

Um. Do you have a sister? Nick answered sheepishly, flashing Vanessa a shy smile. His brothers whooped and gave Nick high fives as the girls in the audience let out a resounding, Awwwwwww.

The brothers smiled at each other, drinking in the crowds response. They had finally arrived.

W hen Paul and Denise Jonas got married, they probably never imagined that one day their sons would be rocking out on MTV. Paul Kevin Jonas Sr. and his wife, Denise, started their life together in the small town of Teaneck, New Jersey. They were both musicians who had dedicated their lives to spreading the message of Christianity. Denise was proficient in sign language, and she and her husband went from church to church, leading worship programs for the hearing impaired.

Denise and Paul were very much in love and ready to start a family. So when Denise discovered she was going to have a baby early in 1987, they rejoiced. They continued their ministry work until Denise became too big for the road. On November 5, 1987, she gave birth to Paul Kevin Jonas II. The happy couple called their new son Kevin so he wouldnt be confused with his dad. Luckily, baby Kevin was pretty easygoing, because his parents werent content to remain in New Jersey for long.

Shortly after Kevin was born, the Jonas family went back on the road to continue spreading the Christian message. Kevin loved traveling with his parents, although he must have gotten a little lonely with no playmates his own age around. But Kevin wouldnt be alone much longer. When he was only one year old, Denise discovered she was expecting again, although that didnt slow her down. She continued to travel with Paul and Kevin through the summer.

The family was in sunny Arizona on August 15, 1989, when Denise gave birth to her second son. The proud parents named their new arrival Joseph Adam Jonas, or Joe for short. Kevin must have been pretty excited to become a big brother!

As the two boys grew older, it soon became clear that Denise and Paul were going to have their hands full with the two rambunctious toddlers. Kevin was a thoughtful and sensitive child, but he was also excellent at convincing his baby brother to get into mischief. Joes reckless sense of adventure would later earn him the nickname Danger within the family.

Kevin and Joseph loved playing games together. Maybe it was those early years the family spent traveling across the Southwest, but Kevin decided early on what his future profession would bea cowboy, or if that fell through, an astronaut. He and Joseph often pretended to be cowboys in the Old West or astronauts and aliens flying through space. Joe was happy to indulge his older brothers ambitious fantasies, but he wanted to be a comedian one day. He was a silly, goofy child who was full of energy and loved telling jokes. The pair certainly kept their parents on their toes!

With two young children to think of, Paul and Denise decided to settle down for a little while. Paul was offered a job as the worship leader at Christ For the Nations Music in Dallas, Texas, so the family packed up their bags and set off for the Lone Star state. Christ For the Nations Institute is a ministry training school founded in 1970. More than 28,000 students have graduated from the institute and gone on to dedicate their lives to evangelical work. Paul led worship services, taught music students at the institute, and worked on his own music. While at CNI, Paul honed his writing skills, penning several songs that became popular in churches across the country, including Come as a Mighty River.