Bruce Springsteen: His Hometown
2019-09-28 - 2021-08-07 | Monmouth County Historical Association, 70 Court Street, Freehold, NJ, United States
“Springsteen: His Hometown” displayed over 150 unique items featuring selections from both the Monmouth County Historical Association and the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University. Items displayed included:

Personal scrapbook made by Bruce Springsteen’s mother, Adele
1943 High School Yearbook of Bruce Springsteen’s mother, Adele.
19th Century Civil War document that includes Alexander Springsteen of lineal descent to Bruce Springsteen.
1801 document signed by John Springsteen, a patriot of the Revolution and direct ancestor to Bruce Springsteen.
Original color poster from The Castiles, Bruce Springsteen’s first band that originated in Freehold.
4-Track recorder used to record the album Nebraska.

The exhibition was presented by the Monmouth County Historical Association in cooperation with the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University.

Born to Run to Broadway Exhibit
2021-08-01 - 2021-09-30 | Lakehouse Academy & Recording Studio, 619 Lake Avenue, Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States
Located at Lakehouse Recording Studios in Asbury Park is a recent student-curated exhibit, Born to Run to Broadway.
The Springsteen album that set the stage for international success was the release of his 1975 album Born to Run. Despite releasing two critically-acclaimed prior albums, Greetings from Asbury Park and The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle in 1973, Born to Run was the spark to a career that has lasted over 6 decades and continues to flourish.
The debut of Bruce on Broadway brought Springsteen’s career to new heights. The award-winning performance was adored by Springsteen fans and succeeded in attracting new fans from around the world. For those who did not get the chance to see it, the film version of the show is now on Netflix and had debuted at Monmouth University.
This exhibit aims to portray Springsteen’s career journey from 1975 to 2017. This exhibit showcases memorabilia from the Born to Run tour including ticket stubs, bumper stickers, flags, and backstage passes. Items from the Broadway show such as tickets, cups, and playbills can also be found in this exhibit.
Curated by Monmouth University students: Gillian Demetriou & Brianna Scangarello

Turn It Up! Ryman’s Rock Legacy
2021-10-01 - 2023-01-21 | Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
The exhibit, titled Turn It Up! Ryman’s Rock Legacy, showcases artifacts from some of the Ryman’s most famous rock performers––Grace Potter, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, and more.

Bruce Springsteen Live!
2022-04-16 - 2022-09-25 | Woody Guthrie Center
Curated by the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music and the GRAMMY Museum®, “Bruce Springsteen Live!” provides fans with an intimate look into Springsteen’s creative process, shedding light on how he became—and remains—one of the greatest live performers in rock and roll history. As 2022 marks the 36th anniversary of Springsteen’s first live album release, the exhibit explores the evolution of Springsteen through the decades and grants exclusive backstage access to Springsteen and the E Street band’s legendary performances.
“Bruce Springsteen Live!” opens at the Woody Guthrie Center® on Saturday, April 16, running through Sunday, Sept. 25. The exhibit will feature iconic artifacts, live performance footage, instruments and stage costumes, exclusive interviews, concert posters and photography, as well as unique interactive displays to immerse fans in Springsteen and the band’s creative process.
General Admission tickets which include this exhibit are on sale now.

Student-Curated Pop-Up Exhibit at Monmouth University
2022-04-16 - 2024-04-18 | Guggenheim Memorial Library, 1st Floor
Please join us for the opening of “The Promised Land: The Protest and Activism of Bruce Springsteen”, our new exhibit curated by our student archivist, Gillian Demetriou with assistance from Connor Rupp, Evan Stackhouse, Lily Incantalupo, & Luke Shefski.

Please RSVP to Eileen Chapman echapman@spingsteenarchives.org

Bruce Springsteen LIVE!
2022-10-15 - 2023-04-02 | The GRAMMY Museum Experience™ Prudential Center
INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN LIVE! GRANTS EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND’S DYNAMIC PERFORMANCES AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS THAT CRAFTED THE STORY OF ONE OF ROCK AND ROLL’S GREATEST PERFORMERS

FANS ARE INVITED TO EXPLORE 49 YEARS OF SPRINGSTEEN AND E STREET BAND HISTORY THROUGH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS, ICONIC PERFORMANCES AND ARTIFACTS FROM THE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN ARCHIVES AND CENTER FOR AMERICAN MUSIC AT MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW AT GRAMMYMuseumEXP.org

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University in partnership with the GRAMMY Museum Experience™ at the Prudential Center in Newark and the GRAMMY Museum ® present Bruce Springsteen Live! The exhibit will feature iconic artifacts, live performance footage, instruments and stage costumes, exclusive interviews, concert posters and photography, as well as unique interactive displays to immerse fans in Springsteen and the band’s creative process. Bruce Springsteen Live! opens at the GRAMMY Museum ExperienceTM Prudential Center on Friday, October 1, running through Sunday, March 20, 2022, and traveling to the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles, CA in Fall 2022.

Tickets for the Bruce Springsteen Live! exhibit are available for purchase at GRAMMYMuseumEXP.org, ranging from $7.00 to $10.00. GRAMMY Museum ExperienceTM Prudential Center is open Thursday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on non-event days and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on event days.

Curated by the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles and Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University, Bruce Springsteen Live! provides fans with an intimate look into Springsteen’s creative process, shedding light on how he became—and remains— one of the greatest live performers in rock and roll history. As 2021 marks the 35th anniversary of Springsteen’s first live album release, the exhibit explores the evolution of Springsteen through the decades and grants exclusive backstage access to Springsteen and the E Street band’s legendary performances.

Notable Artifacts and Interactives Include:

Tunnel of Love Ticket Booth Stage Prop: From the 1988 Tunnel of Love Tour, this iconic ticket booth symbolized the audience’s admittance to the onstage narrative of the rollercoaster of love, loyalty, commitment and faith.
Stage Clothing: Outfits and accessories from Springsteen and members of the E Street Band.
Signed Human Rights Tour Itinerary: From the 1988 six-week benefit world tour, raising funds for Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 40th anniversary of its sponsor, Amnesty International, this itinerary commemorates the powerful collaboration of music and activism, featuring the signatures of the tour’s various performers that include Springsteen, Sting, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman, Youssou N’ Dour, and more.
Born to Run Esquire Guitar: As a staple of Springsteen’s career, the modified Fender guitar was featured on the album covers of Live 1975/85 (1986), Human Touch (1992), Wrecking Ball (2012) and most notably, Born to Run (1975).
Clarence Clemons Saxophone: Nicknamed “The Big Man,” the legendary saxophonist played alongside Bruce for 40 years. Upon Clarence’s death in 2011, the iconic instrument was passed on to his nephew Jake Clemons who, since 2012, continues to use it in performance as the newest member of the E Street Band.
Create Your Encore Interactive: Bruce is known for his encores! This interactive kiosk will allow visitors to view Bruce’s handwritten set-lists and create their own encores to compare against Springsteen’s original.

“Few performers embody the soul and excitement of live rock and roll like Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” said co-curator Robert Santelli, Founding Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum and a longtime New Jersey music journalist. “This exhibit will undoubtedly get fans excited about seeing Springsteen again in concert, hopefully soon.”

“We are honored to work with the GRAMMY Museum on this unique Bruce Springsteen exhibit,” said co-curator Eileen Chapman, Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University. “Opening it here in New Jersey makes it extra special, since so many of Springsteen’s greatest shows happened here.”

Music America Concert: Songs That Shaped Us
2024-02-15 | NJ
Lyle Lovett, Alejandro Escovedo, Ruthie Foster, Jimmie Vaughan and Erika Wennerstrom will perform at a February 15 concert, Music America: Songs That Shaped Us.

Performances kick off a new Bruce Springsteen Archives music history exhibition opening Presidents’ Day weekend at the LBJ Presidential Library.

Inaugural President’s Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America
2024-04-25 19:00 (America/New_York) | Great Hall, 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
EST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (April 2, 2024) – The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University (BSACAM) is pleased to announce the first President’s Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America, on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. in the Great Hall Auditorium on the campus of Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, New Jersey.
The inaugural event will feature The New York Times’ best-selling author and acclaimed historian Douglas Brinkley who will present “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology): Long Sixties Protest Music and the Earth Day Revolution,” a timely reflection on music and the environment, coming shortly after Earth Day. Brinkley is the Katherine Tsanoff Brown Chair in Humanities and Professor of History at Rice University, CNN Presidential Historian, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair.
Hosted by Monmouth University President and BSACAM Board of Directors Chair Patrick F. Leahy, the annual lecture series will highlight how music history can inform our understanding of the world we live in today.
“The lecture showcases the Center’s mission to educate and inspire future generations to understand the diverse influences in American music, and appreciate its power as a force for change, echoing Monmouth University’s commitment to social mobility and diversity,” Leahy said. “Dr. Brinkley masterfully bridges historical legacies with contemporary education, and I am so pleased he will provide our campus with a deeper understanding of American music’s rich tapestry as the first speaker in this series.”
This event is free and open to the public, however seating is limited, and advanced registration is required. To reserve your complimentary seat for the President’s Lecture, visit: https://mpv.tickets.com/?agency=MNMV_PLAGENCY_MPV&orgid=44869&eventId=108629.
BSACAM Curator Melissa Ziobro notes, “We are delighted that Dr. Brinkley has agreed to deliver this inaugural address and excited about the future of this annual event in which we will explore the many ways music history is relevant in the modern world.”
This event is co-sponsored by Monmouth University’s School of Science, Urban Coast Institute, and Department of History and Anthropology.

Mississippi Delta Meets the Jersey Shore
2024-06-07 20:00 - 22:00 | Woods Theatre, 370 Cedar Ave, Long Branch, NJ, 07740, United States
Experience the magic on Friday, June 7th at 8pm when the Mississippi Delta Meets the Jersey Shore! Featuring LaLa and Element 88 at Woods Theatre. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the Monmouth University Box Office or at the link below. Doors open at 7pm. Show is from 8 to 10 pm.

Meet the Author at the AP Outpost!
2024-08-17 14:00 | Convention Hall, 1300 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ, 07712, United States
PHOTOGRAPHER, NICKI GERMAINE: SPRINGSTEEN: LIBERTY HALL – Saturday, August 17th at 2pm

We are looking forward to several upcoming book signings at our pop-up shop in Convention Hall in Asbury Park. First up at the Springsteen AP Outpost is photographer, Nicki Germaine. Nicki’s beautiful coffee table book, “Springsteen: Liberty Hall” will be available for purchase or you can bring your pre-purchased copy and she will be happy to sign it for you. The photographs captured in this book in 1974 were the last taken before the debut of the “Born to Run” album that changed everything for Bruce & the E Street Band and propelled them into the national spotlight. Nicki will be signing books beginning at 2pm on Saturday, August 17th.

Meet the Author at the AP Outpost!
2024-08-24 13:00 | Convention Hall, 1300 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ, 07712, United States
NEW YORK TIMES AUTHOR, NICK CORASANITI: I DON’T WANNA GO HOME The Oral History of the Stone Pony – Saturday, August 24th at 1 pm

A captivating oral history of the iconic music venue the Stone Pony and of the rise, fall, and rebirth of Asbury Park, New Jersey—featuring interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, Southside Johnny, members of the E Street Band and Asbury Jukes, the Ramones, the Jonas Brothers, Jack Antonoff, and other legendary musicians. Featuring exclusive, never-before-seen photos from our friend, Danny Clinch.

LowCut Connie To Perform at Pollak Theatre
2024-08-24 20:00 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music is excited to announce a special, solo performance by Adam Weiner (aka LowCut Connie) on Saturday, August 24th. Doors open at 7 pm, show begins at 8 pm. The concert is being presented by the Spring-Nuts and will take place at Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre. Tickets are $25. All proceeds from this event will benefit Stevie Van Zandt’s, TeachRock, FulFill of Monmouth County and the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. Adam performed a beautiful rendition at the Pollak Theatre of Incident on 57th Street at BSACAM’s 50th Anniversary symposium of The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle album with a little help from former E Street Band Member, Vini Lopez. You can watch the performance here.

Conversations with our Curator - Nick Corasaniti
2024-09-04 19:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/conversations-with-our-curator-nick-corasaniti/
BSACAM Curator, Melissa Ziobro, will be interviewing New York Times author, Nick Corasaniti, about his latest book, “I Don’t Wanna Go Home” – An Oral History of the Stone Pony on September 4th at 7pm. This will be the 8th interview in this free, monthly virtual series in which Professor Ziobro explores new perspectives in American music history with researchers and writers. Prior conversations have included Warren Zanes, Jim Cullen and Holly George Warren. Audience Q&A will follow. The virtual conversation is free to the public and begins at 7pm. Registration is required

Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History at Grammy Museum Mississippi
2024-09-20 10:00 - 2025-04-13 17:00 | GRAMMY Museum Missippi, 800 W Sunflower Rd, Cleveland, MS, 38732, United States
Following its February debut at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, Music America: Iconic Objects From America’s Music History will open to the public at GRAMMY Museum® Mississippi on Friday, Sept. 20. With close to 100 objects representing the best of American music, the exhibit – curated by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music (BSACAM) at Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ – tells the story of how music has informed, interpreted, and inspired our national identity since it was founded nearly two-and-a-half centuries ago. This exhibit is made possible by Visit Mississippi and Mississippi Humanities Council with additional support from Ergon, Inc. and South Delta Planning and Development District. The education programs for this exhibit are made possible by the Maddox Foundation.
“Music has been deeply engrained in the fabric of American history since the nation was founded almost 250 years ago,” said Emily Havens, Executive Director of GRAMMY Museum Mississippi.
“The Music America exhibit helps tell the complex story of American music by featuring objects from artists of all genres, including those who put music from the Delta on the map. Together, these artists and the songs they’ve made describe our national soundtrack. From rock and roll and country, to the blues, jazz, and other genres, visitors will learn how music has shaped and interpreted our national identity.”
“In curating this exhibit, we didn’t just want to focus on the history of rock and roll in America, or country, or blues, we wanted to tell the story of how all of these genres together have shaped our identity as a nation,” said Robert Santelli, BSACAM Executive Director. “With the Delta being at the heart of so much music history, we are thrilled to be bringing the Music America exhibit to the GRAMMY Museum in Mississippi. There are so many stories to be told, specifically from Delta musicians alone, and we can’t wait to share those with visitors to Cleveland.”
On display through April 13, 2025, the exhibit will feature iconic objects from artists such as Lead Belly, Sam Cooke, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Billie Holiday, Buddy Holly, Whitney Houston, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, and Frank Sinatra. Specific artifacts on display will include: Late 18th century hymnalEdison Standard PhonographSpringsteen’s outfit from the cover of 1984 album Born in the U.S.A.John Coltrane’s saxophoneLeonard Bernstein’s outfit and batonOriginal handwritten lyrics to John Mellencamp’s “Pink Houses”Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Number One” guitarVisitors will also experience an interactive “Song Bar” that enables them to hear performances by some of the artists highlighted in the exhibit, along with additional melodies that demonstrate the depth, breadth, and great productivity of American musicians.
Music America features artifacts from the permanent collection of the BSACAM alongside treasures from other institutions across the country such as the New Orleans Jazz Museum, Hard Rock International, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as dozens of prominent collectors of American music ephemera.
This exhibit is made possible by Visit Mississippi and Mississippi Humanities Council with additional support from Ergon, Inc., South Delta Planning and Development District, Maddox Foundation, Southern Tire Mart, Gipson Mechanical, and Visit Cleveland.
GRAMMY Museum Mississippi is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Museum is closed on Mondays. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, or by visiting grammymuseumms.org.

Springsteen On Screen: From the Vault
2024-09-28 19:30 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (September 5, 2024) – The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University (BSACAM) is pleased to announce “Springsteen on Screen: From the Vault with Thom Zimny.” This special event celebrating Bruce Springsteen’s 75th birthday will be held on Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University (400 Cedar Ave, West Long Branch, New Jersey).

Emmy and GRAMMY award winning film director and editor Thom Zimny is a valued friend to the BSACAM. His numerous credits include the Springsteen concert special Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band: Live in New York City (2001), Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run (2005), The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town (2010), the Netflix film of the Springsteen on Broadway concert residency (2018), Western Stars (2019), Letter to You(2020), and the upcoming Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band releasing on Hulu and Disney + in October.

At this event, Thom will screen Springsteen footage and discuss his work documenting, preserving, and interpreting Springsteen’s legendary, 50-plus year career. “We look forward to another memorable evening with Thom Zimny as he shares with us rare and intimate glimpses into the life of Bruce Springsteen”, said Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music Director, Eileen Chapman. “Thom’s films will show the history of Bruce’s prolific career and will give us an intimate look into the mind that created such amazing music.”

A Night at the Movies! Premier Screening of 2024 American Music Honors
2024-11-01 19:30 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music is pleased to announce the premier screening of this year’s American Music Honors. The screening of this very special evening honoring American Music icons Dion, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne, and Mavis Staples will be held on Friday, November 1st at the intimate Pollak Theatre where the sold-out awards event was held on April 24, 2024. Doors will open at 7:30 pm.

Each of the 2024 honorees, backed by Marc Ribler & the Disciples of Soul band, contributed awe-inspiring performances that completely blew the audience away. Hosted by Brian Williams, the evening was filled with eloquent and thoughtful remarks by honorees and their presenters: Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Van Zandt, Darlene Love, and Jon Landau. The evening concluded with the audience on their feet while honorees and presenters shared the stage and jammed to such hits as “Small Town“, “Glory Days”, “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out”, “Take It Easy”, “The Wanderer” and culminating in a jam-packed stage performing “Will the Circle Be Unbroken”.

Tickets are $25 and will go on sale Friday, October 11 and can be purchased here at the Monmouth University box office.

About American Music Honors:

AMH celebrates artists who have demonstrated artistic excellence, creative integrity and a longstanding commitment to the value of music in our national consciousness.

Dion, (“Runaround Sue”, “A Teenager in Love”, “The Wanderer”) whose landmark recording of “Abraham, Martin and John” became an activist anthem in the late 1960’s.
John Mellencamp, (“Pink Houses”, “Small Town”, “Check it Out”) who together with Willie Nelson and Neil Young, created Farm Aid in 1985.
Mavis Staples, (“You Are Not Alone”, “I’ll Take You There”) who in the 1960’s was on the frontlines of the civil rights movement and continues to use her music to support racial equality in America.
Jackson Browne, (“Late for the Sky”, “The Load Out”) a long-time social justice, environmental and educational activist who has supported everything from anti-nuclear alternative energy resources to political freedom in Central America.

An Evening with Santelli & Clinch
2024-11-18 19:00 | Transparent Clinch Gallery, 210 Fifth Ave, Asbury Park, NJ, 07712, United States
Join Us for an Evening of Music, Memories, and Inspiration!

Asbury Park, NJ – Monmouth University’s Music and Theatre Department, in collaboration with the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, is excited to announce as entertaining and informative evening featuring a conversation between two titans of the Asbury Park music and arts scene: Bob Santelli, Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, and Danny Clinch, acclaimed photographer, filmmaker, and co-founder of Sea.Hear.Now. This special event will take place on Monday, November 18 at 7 PM at the renowned Transparent Clinch Gallery in Asbury Park, NJ.

Join us as Santelli and Clinch delve into the rich history of Asbury Park’s music scene, reflecting on their nearly 40-year journeys that began in this iconic seaside town. They will share personal anecdotes and insights on how their early careers blossomed into international acclaim, while also discussing the cultural evolution of Asbury Park into a thriving hub for music and the arts. The event will also highlight some of the developments at the Bruce Springsteen Archive and Center for American Music, along with exclusive photos captured by Danny Clinch.

The evening will be moderated by Joe Rapolla, Chair of the Monmouth University Music & Theatre Department and Music Industry Program Director, and will feature a special intimate live performance by Amani Lillian, student/artist on the university’s student-run record label, Blue Hawk Records.

“This event not only highlights the achievements of Bob Santelli and Danny Clinch but also celebrates the transformative power of music and community,” said Rapolla. “We’re excited to work with the Bruce Springsteen Archive and Center for American Music to bring together students and the community to honor Asbury Park’s legacy.”

This event is open to the public and the Monmouth University community. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis.

Event Details:

Date: Monday, November 18, 2024

Time: 7 PM

Location: Transparent Clinch Gallery, Asbury Park, NJ

Conversations with our Curator: June Skinner Sawyers
2025-01-15 19:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/conversations-with-our-curator-june-skinner-sawyers/

Second Annual President’s Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America
2025-01-30 15:00 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music (BSACAM) at Monmouth University is pleased to announce the second annual President’s Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America, to be held on Thursday, Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. in Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University, 400 Cedar Ave., West Long Branch, New Jersey. The event, which is free and open to all, will feature acclaimed historian Sean Wilentz. Wilentz, George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University, will present “‘I Don’t Write Protest Songs’: Bob Dylan, 1963.”

As Wilentz notes, “To this day, Bob Dylan’s early work gets tagged as political or topical or protest music, despite his own protests about it. He has always refused to be categorized as a protest singer or a political spokesman or anything else other than a songwriter and performer. ‘I don’t write protest songs,’ he declared to the audience at a Monday night hootenanny at Gerde’s Folk City in 1962. Yet that renunciation served as Dylan’s introduction to his first-ever public performance of ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ a song that within months would become an anthem of the burgeoning civil rights movement. Although he spoke only for himself, the shifting politics of Dylan’s early output expressed a strong point of view that was essential to his emergence in Greenwich Village, perhaps the most rapid leap into genius of any artist in modern times. That development accelerated early in 1963, led to an extraordinary burst of creativity beginning in the middle of the year, and culminated in a landmark concert at Carnegie Hall on Oct. 26, the end of the beginning of Dylan’s long career.”

Wilentz’s lecture, drawing on rare and in some cases uncirculated recordings from the time, will assess the tension and energies behind this exceptional formative period in Dylan’s art. Copies of his book, “Bob Dylan in America,” will be available for purchase and signing after his talk. Hosted by Monmouth University President and BSACAM Board of Directors Chair Dr. Patrick F. Leahy, this second installment in the annual lecture series comes on the heels of the release of the Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown.” In Leahy’s words, “I am so pleased to welcome Professor Wilentz as the featured speaker for our Second Annual Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America. As one of the leading voices in the study of U.S. political and social history, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, Professor Wilentz’s insights will undoubtedly enrich our understanding of Dylan’s influence on the connections between music, politics, and the social forces that have shaped our nation’s history.”

And as BSACAM Curator Melissa Ziobro notes, “We at the BSACAM are thrilled we can continue to bring nationally recognized scholars to our campus for the benefit of our students and the entire community, both on campus and beyond.” While the event is free and open to the public, advance registration is required. For group reservations, email Ziobro directly at mziobro@monmouth.edu.

A History of Hip Hop Sampling
2025-02-07 19:00 | Woods Theatre, 370 Cedar Ave, Long Branch, NJ, 07740, United States
Join music journalists John Morrison and Josh Leidy for a multimedia presentation on the history of hip-hop culture and the cultural and technological evolution of sampling, followed by performances by Blue Hawk Records Student/Artists.

Co-sponsored by the BSACAM and the Monmouth University Music and Theatre Arts Department

Friday, February 7 at 7 p.m. Woods Theatre at Monmouth University 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764

Free parking; see campus map here. Free and open to all; register here.

Questions? Email Professor Melissa Ziobro, BSACAM Curator, mziobro@monmouth.edu

Conversations with our Curator featuring Josh Davidson
2025-02-12 19:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/conversations-with-our-curator-featuring-josh-davidson/

Registration Open for the 2nd Annual Move On Up Gospel Event until March 30th
2025-03-13 08:00 - 2025-03-30 17:00 | NJ
Registration is open for the 2nd annual Move on Up Gospel Sing-Off.
The event celebrating gospel music is being presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music with support from Doug Gallagher.
The winning choir will receive a $10,000 award to be used to improve any aspect of its ensemble. The runner-up will receive a $5,000 award. Six choirs will be chosen from the entries to participate in a “sing-off” to determine the winner. Participants in this year’s sing-off will be announced in early April.
Any New Jersey-based church or community choir can easily register for the event online and submit a video from a cell phone. All levels of choirs and praise teams are welcome to participate.
“Move on Up is less a competition than a celebration,” added Robert Santelli, executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. “It’s a showcase of gospel talent, a tribute to gospel music, and a chance to award prize money to be used to elevate the contemporary sounds of the music.”
Registration will close on March 30th. Move on Up! finals will take place on Saturday, May 10th at 2pm in Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University. Admission is free.

Conversations with our Curator featuring Dewar MacLeod
2025-03-19 19:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/conversations-with-our-curator-featuring-dewar-macleod-2/

Conversations with our Curator featuring Dewar MacLeod
2025-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | https://monmouth.zoom.us/meeting/register/aBYmctXFRrCIZWOWNZdArA#/registration

Tickets To Go Onsale for the 3rd Annual Music Honors
2025-03-25 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music has announced the honorees of its third annual American Music Honors event, to be held Saturday, April 26 on the campus of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, N.J.
The 2025 honorees are: Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello, and Joe Ely. Artist, songwriter, producer Smokey Robinson was one of the architects of the famed ‘60s Motown Sound/the Sound of Young America with classics as “The Tracks of My Tears,” “Tears of a Clown,” and “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me.” John Fogerty is best known for being the singer, songwriter, and frontman for the legendary band Creedence Clearwater Revival. His hits include “Proud Mary,” “Fortunate Son,” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”
Emmylou Harris is one of country music’s greatest voices, whose contributions to country have set the bar for so many of today’s female artists. Tom Morello has made his mark on modern rock with Rage Against the Machine, The Nightwatchman, and even as an occasional member of The E Street Band. Austin, Texas-based Joe Ely is known as one of the pioneers of progressive country and an early purveyor of what is now Americana.
The host for American Music Honors will be journalist and veteran television news anchor, Brian Williams.
“This year’s honorees represent a cross-section of American music,” said Robert Santelli, Founding Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. “Rock, Americana, soul, and country are all represented by some of the most important artists from each of the genres. We are most excited to honor them and welcome them into the American Music Center family.”
American Music Honors will take place in Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre. Stevie Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul will, once again, serve as the evening’s house band. Award presenters include Van Zandt (Smokey Robinson), Bruce Springsteen (John Fogerty and Joe Ely), Patti Scialfa (Emmylou Harris), and Nils Lofgren (Tom Morello).
Tickets for the Third Annual American Music Honors will go on sale to the public on Tuesday, March 25. Ticket information is available on the https://springsteencenter.org.
“Monmouth University is extremely proud to host the third annual American Music Honors,” said Monmouth University president Dr. Patrick Leahy. “The program has become one of the most exciting music events in New Jersey. We’re honored to welcome John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Smokey Robison, Tom Morello, and Joe Ely to our campus and celebrate their great accomplishments to American music.”
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music serves as the official repository for the music of Bruce Springsteen, plus photographs, periodicals, oral histories, rare recordings, films, and artifacts related to Springsteen and The E Street Band. The Center for American Music produces museum exhibitions, symposia and seminars, teacher workshops, concerts, internships, and various other public programs to promote and celebrate the many forms of American music and their impact on our culture and national identity.

Tickets on sale for the 3rd Annual American Music Honors
2025-03-25 12:00 - 13:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/tickets-on-sale-for-the-3rd-annual-american-music-honors/
TICKETS AVAILABLE 3/25
Tickets for the 3rd Annual American Music Honors will go on sale today, Tuesday, March 25th. Tickets will be limited to two per household and can only be purchased on our website here at 12 pm Noon EST. Create a basic account now to make checkout faster and easier.

The 2025 Honorees are Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello and Joe Ely. Award presenters will include Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Nils Lofgren and Stevie Van Zandt. Journalist and veteran news anchor, Brian Williams, will host the event. You can read more about this year’s honorees on our 2025 American Music Honors page.

This year’s honorees represent a cross-section of American music, said Robert Santelli, Founding Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. “Rock, Americana, Soul, and Country are all represented by some of the most important artists from each of the genres. We are most excited to honor them and welcome them into the American Music Center family.”

American Music Honors will take place in Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre. Stevie Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul, led by music director, Marc Ribler, will, once again, serve as the evening’s house band.

Conversations with our Curator featuring John Massaro
2025-04-09 19:00 | https://springsteencenter.org/event/conversations-with-our-curator-featuring-john-massaro/

American Music Honors 2025
2025-04-26 19:00 - 22:00 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
The 2025 Honorees are Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello and Joe Ely. Award presenters will include Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Nils Lofgren and Stevie Van Zandt. Journalist and veteran news anchor, Brian Williams, will host the event. You can read more about this year’s honorees on our 2025 American Music Honors page.
This year’s honorees represent a cross-section of American music, said Robert Santelli, Founding Executive Director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. “Rock, Americana, Soul, and Country are all represented by some of the most important artists from each of the genres. We are most excited to honor them and welcome them into the American Music Center family.”
American Music Honors will take place in Monmouth University’s Pollak Theatre. Stevie Van Zandt’s Disciples of Soul, led by music director, Marc Ribler, will, once again, serve as the evening’s house band.

The History and Performance Practices of the Negro Spiritual
2025-05-07 19:00 - 21:00 | https://monmouth.zoom.us/meeting/register/BWfCdaU0SfWhGge5LawCtw
In advance of our 2nd Annual Move On Up Gospel Sing-Off & Celebration on Saturday, May 10th, join us for a free, virtual program with Dr. LaToya Lain on the history and performance practices of the Negro Spiritual on Wednesday, May 7th at 7pm.
Spirituals, folk songs originating from the enslaved African community, were vehicles for resistance, solace, and identity. This lecture delves into their evolution, from creation on plantations to their adaptation in concert settings and their influence on modern genres like jazz and gospel. Further, it addresses the ongoing debate surrounding the performance of spirituals by non-African American singers, questioning issues of appropriation and the authenticity of dialect in performance.
Dr. LaToya Lain, a New Orleans native, is an acclaimed singer praised for her “rich” and “captivating” voice, an Associate Professor of Voice at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and sings with the Metropolitan Opera Extra Chorus. LaToya has performed worldwide, including in two GRAMMY-winning casts, Porgy and Bess and Fire Shut Up in My Bones at The Met. At Carolina, she teaches “The History of Negro Spirituals” and she has created a lecture-recital based on the Slave Narratives of the 1930s Federal Writer’s Project. She has performed Narrative of a Slave Woman at numerous American Colleges and Universities and globally. She is currently curating and recording spirituals with the State of North Carolina’s Department of Natural and Cultural History to be featured in historic sites across the state.
Pre-register here: https://monmouth.zoom.us/meeting/register/BWfCdaU0SfWhGge5LawCtw

2nd Annual Move On Up Gospel Sing-Off & Celebration!
2025-05-10 14:00 - 17:00 | Pollak Theatre, 400 Cedar Avenue, W. Long Branch, NJ, 07764, United States
Registration Now Open for the 2nd Annual Move On Up Gospel Sing-Off & Celebration!
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Move on Up! will take place on Saturday, May 10th at 2pm in Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University. Admission is free. The winning choir will receive a $10,000 cash prize to be used to improve any aspect of its ensemble. The runner-up will receive a $5,000 prize. A team of judges will select six entries to participate in a “sing-off” to determine the winner. Participants in this year’s sing-off will be announced April 1st.
“Move on Up! celebrates our state’s wonderfully rich tradition of gospel music,” said Springsteen Archives Programs Manager, Jeri Houseworth, the event’s producer. “Gospel began in Black churches and is a vital part of African-American religious culture. Gospel is also a foundation of American popular music. Its influence can be heard in R&B, soul, rock, and the blues.”
Any New Jersey-based church or community choir can register for the event online. Registration includes information about the choir, plus a one song video not longer than five minutes. Videos need not be professionally produced; videos recorded on cell phones or I-Pads are acceptable.
“Move on Up! is less a competition than a celebration,” added Robert Santelli, executive director of the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music. “It’s a showcase of gospel talent, a tribute to gospel music, and a chance to award prize money to be used to elevate the contemporary sounds of the music.”
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music serves as the official repository for the music of Bruce Springsteen, plus photographs, periodicals, oral histories, rare recordings, films, and artifacts related to Springsteen and The E Street Band. The Center for American Music produces museum exhibitions, symposia and seminars, teacher workshops, concerts, internships, and various other public programs to promote and celebrate the many forms of American music and their impact on our culture and national identity.
