The Van Zandt Brothers Get A Street Named After Them In Middletown

Written By Mike Greenblatt

PHOTO: Stevie and Billy Van Zandt

On April 26, in Monmouth’s County Middletown, where E Street legend Stevie Van Zandt grew up with his brother Billy, Wilson Avenue will be renamed Van Zandt Way in an 11:00 a.m. ceremony honoring both siblings:  the musician and the playwright/producer/actor/writer. Both will attend, according to Middletown Township Communications Director Tara Berson. Hosted by longtime news anchor Brian Williams (also from Middletown), representatives from The New Jersey Hall Of Fame and Middletown Township officials will attend. Reportedly, friends and family of the Van Zandts have been attempting to get this done since 2019.

The brothers grew up at 263 Wilson Avenue. It was in his bedroom where Stevie discovered the redemptive powers of rock’n’roll, discovering a song called “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” by Curtis Lee. It was 1961. Stevie was 10. Yet it rocked his world so much, it changed his life. He knew there and then what he wanted to do when he grew up. The song itself is a piece of deliciously upbeat doowop fluff produced by Phil Spector, made all the more groovy to the ear of a 10-year old by its sumptuous backing vocals by The Halos. It reached #7 and has since been covered by Sha Na Na.

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Billy Van Zandt has appeared off-Broadway and toured in summer-stock productions. He’s co-written 21 plays. Nominated for an Emmy Award for his I Love Lucy: The Very First Show TV Special, he’s also won People’s Choice and NAACP Image Awards for his work with comedian Martin Lawrence. He’s also worked with the Wayans brothers, Brooke Shields, Andrew Dice Clay, Don Rickles and Richard Lewis. He was a sailing teen in Jaws 2, an alien in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and a cadet in Taps.

Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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