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, a celebration of 250 years of American music, and the opening of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. While the first evening focused on pioneers like Robert Johnson, Hank Williams, and Woody Guthrie, the second night shifted toward later icons including Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Dion DiMucci, and Public Enemy.

The bill was stacked with talent, featuring performances by 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, while Bob Santelli, Director of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, hosted the event. Springsteen, who watched much of the show from the audience, joined the performers onstage throughout the night for a series of memorable duets.

Springsteen opened his contributions by honoring Elvis Presley, his original musical hero, with 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, Bruce Springsteen joined Sheryl Crow for a poignant performance of Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released.” Backed by guitarist Larry Campbell, the performance marked a significant moment for Springsteen, who was tackling the 1967 Basement Tapes classic for the first time.

The night also saw Springsteen team up with Gary Clark Jr. for Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Further Up The Road.” Following the set, Springsteen joked about the difficulty of following the legendary hip-hop group Public Enemy, quipping, “Man, you can’t come on after Public Enemy. Forget it. Jesus is coming back, he ain’t coming back after Public Enemy.”

The finale brought the ensemble together for Eddie Floyd’s “Raise Your Hand.” The performance featured a rare moment where Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Steve Van Zandt shared a single microphone, with Flavor Flav adding his signature energy to the stage. The evening concluded with a solo acoustic performance of “Land of Hope and Dreams,” a reflective end to a historic two-night celebration.