Bono Fast Facts - CNN.com (CNN) -- Here is a look at the life of Bono, Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter of the band U2. Personal: Birth date: May 10, 1960 Birth place: Dublin, Ireland Birth name: Paul David Hewson Father: Brendan Robert Hewson, post office worker Mother: Iris Elizabeth (Rankin) Hewson Marriage: Ali (Stewart) Hewson (August 21, 1982 - present) Children: John Abraham, May 21, 2001; Elijah Bob Patricius Guggi Q, August 17, 1999; Memphis Eve, July 7, 1991; Jordan, May 10, 1989 Other Facts: His nickname "Bono Vox" means "good voice" Has won 22 Grammy awards and been nominated 48 times. Nominated for two Academy Awards, but has yet to win. Is co-founder of ONE and (RED), global charitable organizations fighting extreme poverty and AIDS. Timeline: 1976 - Joins a band in high school that would later become U2. March 1979 - CBS Ireland signs the band and releases a three-song EP entitled "U2-3." March 1980 - Island Records signs U2 and releases their debut album, "Boy." 1981 - First tour of the United States. 1984 - Bono takes part in the recording of the charity single, "Do They Know It's Christmas." July 13, 1985 - U2 plays in London as part of the day's Live Aid concerts. 1987 - The album, "The Joshua Tree," is released and becomes a top-ten hit. March 2, 1988 - U2 wins its first two Grammy awards for "The Joshua Tree," one for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and one for Album of the Year. February 22, 1989 - U2 wins two Grammy awards: Best Performance Music Video for "Where the Streets Have No Name" and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Desire." 1992 - Bono, U2's guitarist the Edge and other investors buy The Clarence, a Dublin hotel built in 1852 and restored it. February 24, 1993 - U2 wins a Grammy award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Achtung Baby." March 1, 1994 - U2 wins a Grammy award for Best Alternative Music Album for "Zooropa." March 1, 1995 - U2 wins a Grammy award for Best Music Video, Long Form for "Zoo TV - Live From Sydney." May 1997 - U2 meets with President Bill Clinton in the White House. 1998 - U2 appears on "The Simpsons." September 23, 1999 - Meets with Pope John Paul II to discuss Third World debt. The Pope puts on Bono's trademark wrap-around sunglasses during their meeting. February 21, 2001 - U2 wins three Grammy awards for "Beautiful Day": Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year. February 3, 2002 - U2 plays the Super Bowl half-time show. February 24, 2002 - Bono appears on the cover of Time. February 27, 2002 - U2 wins four Grammy awards: Best Rock Album for "All That You Can't Leave Behind," Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Elevation," Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of," Record of the Year for "Walk On." March 14, 2002 - Bono meets with U.S. President George W. Bush to discuss poverty and AIDS in Africa. May 20 - May 30, 2002 - Tours Ghana, South Africa, Uganda, and Ethiopia with U.S. Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Neill, to promote economic development in Africa. September 16, 2003 - Bono meets with President George W. Bush to discuss AIDS in Africa. May 17, 2004 - Bono delivers the commencement address at the University of Pennsylvania. June 2004 - Joins the U.S. private equity firm Elevation Partners as a managing director. The firm specializes in the media, entertainment and technology industries. October 12, 2004 - U2 appears in an Apple Computer iPod commercial, singing their song, "Vertigo." December 2004 - A limited edition red and black U2 iPod pre-loaded with the album, "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," is released. 2005 - Bono and his wife, Ali, launch the EDUN clothing line. February 13, 2005 - U2 wins three Grammy awards for "Vertigo": Best Short Form Music Video, Best Rock Song, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. March 14, 2005 - U2 is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. July 2005 - Bono, along with other celebrities, presses world leaders during the G-8 conference to address AIDS in Africa. July 2, 2005 - Performs at the Live 8 concert in London. December 18, 2005 - Named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" along with Bill and Melinda Gates. February 8, 2006 - U2 wins five Grammy awards: Best Rock Album and Album of the Year for "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb"; Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Song of the Year for "Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own"; Best Rock Song for "City of Blinding Lights." May 16, 2006 - As a part of his Project RED initiative (Red), Bono guest edits United Kingdom newspaper The Independent for a day, filling the paper with stories about HIV/AIDS in Africa as well as global warming and poverty. March 29, 2007 - Named Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire at a ceremony in Dublin. His knighthood does not grant him the title of "Sir" before his name since he is Irish and not a British citizen. September 27, 2007 - Co-recipient (with DATA - Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) of the 2007 Philadelphia Liberty Award. January 2008 - U2 releases concert film "U2 3D," reportedly filmed with the largest number of 3D cameras ever used on a movie project. January 18, 2009 - U2 performs at an inaugural celebration for President Barack Obama. 2009 - Bono and the Edge write the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." April 30, 2010 - Bono meets with President Obama to discuss the role of technology in Africa's development. May 21, 2010 - Bono has emergency back surgery for an injury received while preparing for a new U2 tour. April 8, 2011 - U2's "360" tour becomes the highest grossing tour of all time, surpassing the $558 million gross mark set by the Rolling Stones "Bigger Bang" tour. June 2011 - Bono and U2 are subjected to protests from the Irish organization Art Uncut for paying fewer taxes in Ireland by moving part of their business to the Netherlands.