It’s likely more people know the debut album cover name that elevated rock legend Bruce Springsteen into public consciousness than the city “The Boss” played a key role in keeping alive.
The rise, fall, and recent ascension of Asbury Park on the New Jersey coast is certainly a story of special note.
Visiting Asbury was an annual rite of passage for the Ward family when I was growing up. My parents, two brothers, and I would pile into our station wagon and head south from our home in North Jersey to this small seaside city.
Being roughly 50 miles from home, it provided an escape from daily living, with a wide array of attractions to hold our interest, including the beautiful sandy beach and a boardwalk lined with arcades, shops, and cafes.
Music has long been a big part of Asbury Park. Back in the day, a variety of headliners from New York City flocked to the Jersey Shore, with Asbury Park being ground zero. Big-time entertainers such as Lionel Hampton, Billy Holiday, and Count Basie often visited and performed at a variety of nightclubs on Asbury’s west side.
A hot spot was the Stone Pony, a starting point for numerous performers. As a college student I took in many bands and performers there, the most notable being Bruce Springsteen, who hailed from nearby Freehold, and N.J. native son Jon Bon Jovi—just two among a slew of emerging talent. Springsteen released his debut album “Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.” in 1973.
