Jersey Shore Magazine

J e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 1 9 12 BEACHCOMBER SPRINGSTEEN, continued from page 11 perfect," she said. The Springsteen story connects to more than just Jersey Shore locals and visitors, as it transcends zip codes, counties, and boundaries. "Springsteen's childhood was similar to so many others around the coun- try in a time when community was tightly knit and culture was shifting regardless of location," Sharp Walton explained. Radical changes in society, the decline of factories and its effect on blue collar workers, and racial, counterculture, and generational conflicts occurred in every town, not just along the Jersey Shore. "What happened in Freehold and in Asbury Park during Springsteen's formative years, and what he sings about, hap- pened all across the United States," she said. Springsteen's devotion to his craft as a musician, combined with his creativity in writing honest lyrics about hard-working people living on the margins with dirt under their fin- Established in 2017, The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University in Long Branch serves as the official archival repository for Bruce Springsteen's written works, photographs, periodicals, and artifacts. The Center preserves and promotes the legacy of Bruce Springsteen and his role in American music, while honoring and celebrating icons of American music like Woody Guthrie, Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, and others. The original collection was started by Chris Phillips, editor of Backstreets magazine, in 2001. A group known as "The Friends of the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection, Inc." assisted with managing and growing what became the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection. Since 2011, Monmouth University has served as home of the Bruce Springsteen Special Collection, which comprises nearly 50,000 items from forty-seven countries. These items include books, concert memorabilia, articles, and promotional materials. The collection serves the research and informational needs of music fans, scholars, authors, and others with a serious interest in the life and career of The Boss. Eileen Chapman is the Director of The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music. Bob Santelli, founding Director of the Grammy Museum, serves as Executive Director. To learn more, visit www.monmouth.edu/springsteen-archives-and-center-for-american-music. gernails in order to put food on the table and the Jersey Shore's role in those stories, are what connects him to fans of all ages. "Bruce fans are multigenerational. I grew up listen- ing to him because my parents loved him, and now my eight-year-old and my eleven-year-old love him too. It's amazing to see Springsteen's appeal span generations," Ziobro said. The Boss celebrated his seventi- eth birthday a few days before the exhibit opened. As a poet, a surfer, an author, a motorcycle enthusiast, a humanitarian, a musician, and more over those seventy years, the Jersey Shore Renaissance man impacted history, culture, and lives so much that exhibit tickets, which have been purchased by people from all over the world, are already sold out on certain days. "Art is a great way to tell a histor- ical story, which Springsteen does well. He's a troubadour of American history. I hope people leave the exhib- it with an understanding of where Springsteen lived and how it played a role throughout his entire life, even as we speak," Sharp Walton said. "Springsteen's story is more than a story about a musician. It's a story of American history." Ziobro added, "Sometimes you for- get just how important Springsteen is to so many people. We've been very conscientious of that. We wanted to get it [the exhibit] right, and I believe we did." —Jill Ocone The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth University A personal scrapbook made by Springsteen's mother, Adele, is on display. The Springsteen: His Hometown exhibit at the Monmouth County Historical Association at 70 Court Street in Freehold will run through Fall 2020. Hours are Wed., Fri., Sat., and Sun. 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Thurs. 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.monmouthhistory.org. (Adults: $15.; Seniors/Students with ID: $12.; MCHA Members, Freehold Borough residents with ID, and children up to 6 years old: free.) For more information, visit www.monmouthhistory.org or call (732) 462-1466. Mark Krajnak/MCHA Mark Krajnak/MCHA

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