Bruce Springsteen gets state day in NJ, misses American Music Honors event due to COVID

It's official.

Bruce Springsteen's birthday, Sept. 23, is now “Bruce Springsteen Day” in the state of New Jersey.

Gov. Phil Murphy issued the proclamation at the inaugural American Music Honors event, presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music on April 15 at the Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University in West Long Branch.

“There's been 14 administrations in New Jersey since Springsteen started performing,” Murphy said. “I can't believe it's taken this long.”

Springsteen fans around the world have celebrated the date for years. The honor was bestowed partly because Springsteen of Freehold created “the soundtrack to our glory days,” reads the proclamation.

“It's not a rest area but it's nice,” said Jon Stewart, the host of the evening.

Springsteen was scheduled to receive the proclamation in person, but he and his wife Patti Scialfa did not attend as they have COVID-19, said Bob Santelli, executive director of the archives.

More: Despite precautions, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band struggle with illness on tour

Stewart wanted to put the audience at ease once the news was out.

“They're still alive — don't overreact,” Stewart quipped. “You can still see them in concert. They're home sitting by the fire eating French onion soup “

Springsteen, 73, had performed the previous night, Friday, April 14, at the Prudential Center in Newark in the E Street Band's tour homecoming show. The next leg of the tour begins on April 28 in Barcelona, Spain. A denim-clad Springsteen appeared in two recorded video segments inducting honorees and showed no visible signs of illness.

“Bruce with COVID looks healthier than me,” said Stewart after one clip. He later added that Springsteen looked “eerily healthy.”

E Street Band members Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, Jake Clemons and Soozie Tyrell missed shows on the current tour due to COVID-19. Three shows were postponed due to “illness,” although who was ill, and the type of illness, was not disclosed.

On Saturday, Van Zandt, Sam Moore of Sam and Dave, Darlene Love and Steve Earle were recipients of American Music Honors awards. Springsteen videos inducted Van Zandt and Love, Southside Johnny Lyon inducted Moore, and E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent inducted Earle. The program in the 700-capacity theater was briskly paced, enjoyable and very musical.

Tallent said Earle helped him “find purpose in Nashville,” his current home. Earle performed his song “Copperhead Road” with the Disciples of Soul, the evening's house band.

Love was emotional over her award.

“I said I was going to laugh for the first five minutes but now I'm going to try not to cry,” Love said.

Van Zandt and Springsteen championed Love's career at a point in her life when she was cleaning houses instead of singing. The two “jump-started my career because as far as I was concerned my career as a singer was over,” she said.

Love's hits include “He’s a Rebel,” “The Boy I’m Gonna Marry” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” She sang “River Deep, Mountain High” with the Disciples of Soul.

Southside Johnny said seeing Sam and Dave perform was a transitional moment in his life. Moore, who sat on a stool on stage, sang the Sam and Dave classic “I Thank You” with the power and clarity of a much younger man. He's 87.

More: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Newark homecoming show was worth the wait

Van Zandt has a long list of credits, including being a long-time member of the E Street Band and helping to end apartheid in South Africa with the “Sun City” record, but he addressed the need to preserve rock 'n roll's legacy and use it to engage future generations via his TeachRock education initiative.

The rock and soul music of the '60s was special because when “the greatest art being made is also the most commercial, you are in a renaissance,” Van Zandt said.

Story continues below photo gallery.

Learning about rock 'n' roll and related music will keep hard to teach students engaged.

“We want to be that class they look forward to,” said Van Zandt of TeachRock.

Van Zandt performed his song “Bitter Fruit” with the Disciples of Soul. Van Zandt, Earle, Love, Moore and Southside Johnny participated in a show-closing jam that included renditions of “It's Been a Long Time;” “Hungry Heart” with Love on lead vocals, “Hold On, I'm Comin',” “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” and “I Don't Want to Go Home.”

“We will see you next year and I swear Bruce will be here,” Southside Johnny said.

The Springsteen Archives, on the Monmouth University campus, preserves and promotes the legacy of Springsteen and his role in American music, while honoring and celebrating other American music greats.

America, the birthplace of the blues, jazz, country, rock 'n' roll, hip-hop and more, is such a wellspring of music creativity that “the rest of the world cannot match us,” Santelli said.

Attendees on Saturday were required to place their cellphones into Yondr pouches for the duration of the show .

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen Day is real but Boss gets COVID and misses event