May 2026

This site started out as an adjunct to The Jersey Sound documentary film but quickly took on a life of its own. Now, one of the prime pleasures of doing it is not only, of course, writing it, but the selection of video. I can now imagine what the early MTV programmers went through. To start “The Hot 100” every month with 10 videos was the idea of my brilliant graphic artist Jason Brickhill. Add the five vids of “Visual Sound” and 10 more in “Up Close,” plus vids accompanying each “Meet…” and “Jersey History” plus one each (almost) for every daily lead and one could spend some real time here.

Another morphing of our original intent was to bend the rules a bit in an effort to be more inclusive, informative and entertaining. Artists who were born here are a natural inclusion.  Case-In-Point is arguably America’s Greatest Songwriter Paul Simon, most closely identified with the Queens borough of New York City where he was raised, but born in Newark. So he’s ours. So are Tony Bennett, Richie Havens, Dizzy Gillespie, Clint Black, Woody Guthrie, Stone Temple Pilots, the Eagles and Blondie. Hey, if one person in your band ever lived here, you’re in. And I’ve figured a way to even add more talent to our roster:  those who died here. Thus, welcome one of the greatest of the soul men, Jackie Wilson, who suffered a massive heart attack onstage in Cherry Hill singing his signature song “Lonely Teardrops.”

This issue we spotlight James Kaplan’s epic 979-page warts’n’all 2016 Sinatra biography which, if you haven’t read it, will shock the hell out of you. You’ll “Meet…” ball-busting blues man Kevin Hill who’s played the Pony over 70 times. In “Jersey History” we remember ‘60s soul organist Richard “Groove” Holmes. And we spotlight two months of upcoming concerts. Come visit us. Add your name to our subscriber list. And stay awhile!