Enjoy Gary U.S. Bonds’ Big Holiday Show

Gary U.S. Bonds was knighted a Jersey guy by royalty! Bruce Springsteen, Steve VanZandt, Southside Johnny, and Bobby Bandiera have all called on him and appropriately knighted the Long Island resident part of the Jersey music scene.

The Jersey music scene is a brotherhood that is tough to get into and strictly conforms to the makeup of New Jersey Rock and Roll. Gary gets an exemption because he has been a part of the Jersey music scene for over 40 years.

He has lent his powerful voice and entertained hundreds of thousands of fans while raising millions of dollars for New Jersey-based charities. You’d be very hard-pressed to find another entertainer not from New Jersey who has given more of himself to the well-being of the people of New Jersey.

This year Gary celebrated his 84th birthday. He doesn’t look it nor does his age stop him from entertaining when and wherever he can.

Gary’s a Rock and Roll icon who has enjoyed a couple of surges of stardom throughout his historic music career. It was in the ’60s when his big hit “New Orleans” led to a No. 1 hit with “Quarter to Three.”

Touring with legends Sam Cooke and B.B. King he was taught by Sam Cooke to use his dynamic personality on stage instead of just standing there and performing. Sam Cooke’s advice paid off very well.

He serves as honorary New Jerseyan after Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Van Zandt in a chance meeting in 1980 led to not only a great friendship but solid music collaboration with his album Dedication and big hits with This Little Girl is Mine, Out of Work, Jolie Blon and more.

I met Gary years ago at Bobby Bandiera’s Hope Concert.

Each year of the Hope Concert, a charity concert that ran for 10 years and raised millions for New Jersey-based charities, Gary, Southside Johnny and I shared Bobby Bandiera’s dressing room. I hosted the concert and we’d have a few beverages and the stories would start flowing.

Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce would pop in and the camaraderie was so strong and the stories were both historical and hysterical. We became fast friends because of his genuine kindness, sense of humor, and course love of music.

He was kind to donate his time to my Big Joe Holiday Extravaganza for Jersey Kids and we’d see each other many times throughout the summer at different music events. Gary called me up and asked me to host his 75th birthday party bash at B.B. Kings in New York. It was an honor to be among so many legends paying tribute to Gary.

Gary called me this week and while it’s been months since we last spoke, we picked up right where we left off. He’s that kind of person.

Gary heads to Asbury Park at one of my favorite places, The Wonderbar on Saturday, Dec. 16 where Gary and friends will be doing a holiday show. The doors open at 6:30 p.,m. and the show is at 7:30 p.m. and will run till 11 p.m. You can log on to Ticketmaster for tickets. A portion of the proceeds of that show will go to animal charity Asbury Boardwalk Rescue.

Have fun, grab your friends and family, and watch and hear this legend perform. You’re going to have fun.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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