Bruce Springsteen Joins Jon Bon Jovi and Public Enemy for ‘Music America’ Finale
Bruce Springsteen returned to the OceanFirst Bank Center in Monmouth, New Jersey, on Friday for the second and final night of the ‘Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us’ concert. The event served as both a celebration of 250 years of American music and the grand opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. While the inaugural evening highlighted pioneers like Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, and Woody Guthrie, the second night shifted focus toward later icons, including Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Dion DiMucci, and Public Enemy.
The evening featured a stacked lineup, including Jon Bon Jovi, Nils Lofgren, Darlene Love, Jackson Browne, Gary Clark Jr., and Sheryl Crow. Little Steven’s Disciples of Souls served as the house band, with Bob Santelli, Director of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, hosting the festivities. Much like the first show, Springsteen spent time in the audience before taking the stage for a series of memorable duets.
Honoring Musical Legends
Springsteen opened his performance by paying tribute to his original musical hero, Elvis Presley, delivering high-energy renditions of “Jailhouse Rock” and “Burnin’ Love.” Reflecting on the impact of the King, Santelli noted, “Elvis Presley creates a sound and a moment that will forever change not only rock and roll history, but American culture and American music history.”
Later in the night, Springsteen joined Sheryl Crow for a stirring performance of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” Backed by guitarist Larry Campbell, the performance marked a significant moment for Springsteen, as it was his first time singing the classic track from Dylan’s 1967 Basement Tapes sessions.
A Night of Collaboration
The collaborative spirit continued as Springsteen teamed up with Gary Clark Jr. for a rendition of “Further Up The Road,” a track from the Bobby “Blue” Bland catalog. Following the set, Springsteen joked about the difficulty of following a powerhouse act like Public Enemy, remarking, “Man, you can’t come on after Public Enemy. Forget it. Jesus is coming back, he ain’t coming back after Public Enemy.”
As the night drew to a close, the stage filled with artists, including Jon Bon Jovi and Jackson Browne, for a collective jam on Eddie Floyd’s “Raise Your Hand.” The energy was palpable, with Flavor Flav hyping the crowd and even joining the E Street Band members onstage for the finale.
A Personal Reflection
The evening concluded with a solo acoustic performance of “Land of Hope and Dreams.” It was the only original song Springsteen performed during the two-night event. Before the final notes, he shared a reflective moment with the audience: “At 19, I was on this campus… not going to school. But played here on the steps over at the big building they have over there. If you had told me then, in 1969, that anything like this would ever, ever occur I would have said, ‘You are out of your fuckin’ mind, my friend.’”
