Dion, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Mavis Staples will be feted April 24 by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music in the Pollak Theatre on the campus of Monmouth University in West Long Branch.

Rosanne Cash, Phosphorescent, Blondshell, Bully, The Heavy Heavy, Lizzie No, Cedric Burnside and Grace Bowers are the first eight artists announced for the 30th Annual XPonential Music Festival to be held this year September 20, 21 and 22 on the Camden waterfront at Wiggins Park.

“More Time” was directed by Gus Black who previously helmed clips from Phoebe Bridgers and Sheryl Crow. It’s the title track of his album due this spring that was recorded in Memphis with producer Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell/Margo Price). With themes of temptation and self-reflection, the beautifully-shot clip builds from its sensitive piano intro to its bombastic orchestral crescendo.

Despite not winning an award at the know-nothing Grammys for her brilliant ‘LaVette!’ album, The First Lady of Song from Essex County put on a spectacular demonstration—as always—of interpretation at the “Celebrating Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra” NJPAC concert in Newark on February 8.

We told you about Mariel Loveland last August (“Hoboken Temptress Promises To Ruin Your Life”). Now her band, Best Ex, has collaborated with synthpop band Soft Faith for a remix of a song originally on her ‘With A Smile’ debut.

The exhibit is called “Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History.” It opened February 17 and runs through August 11 at the LBJ Presidential Library in Austin Texas. Over 100 objects will be on display.

After suffering a heart attack onstage in Bucharest Romania last year on September 27, legendary Jersey City guitarist Al Di Meola—who can be seen in the upcoming documentary ‘The Jersey Sound’ —will perform as part of the Paco de Lucia fest in New York City, taking place at various venues from February 20 to 24.

Skid Row, the Toms River hair-metal band that reached the pinnacle of success in the ‘80s, is doing just fine with singer Erik Gronwell. Their sixth album, ‘The Gang’s All Here,’ in 2022, was their first in 16 years, and it’s selling. But the gang isn’t exactly all here, is it? Sebastian Bach is solo and released his “What Do I Have To Lose” single in December, his first in nine years. Meanwhile, Skid Row has been around the world and back. In fact, they’re still on tour and, reportedly, sounding better than ever. But what led to the split?

Art Of Anarchy—which includes New Brunswick guitar hero Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal in its ranks—have announced their new video (“Die Hard”), new album (‘Let There Be Anarchy,’ due February 16 from Pavement Records) and new tour (with a March 30 stop in Teaneck at the Debonair Music Hall).

Hoboken chanteuse Tammy Faye Starlite is gearing up for another run as Nico this spring in a new show—’Nico: Underground’—set for Joe’s Pub in New York City May 1, 8, 15 & 22. No one does Nico like Tammy Faye.

On March 5, Labyrinth Books in Princeton will host a book signing by Kat Taylor whose very cool book—’She’s A Badass: Women In Rock Shaping Feminism’—came out last month on Backbeat Books. Each of its 20 chapters focuses in on interviews with female musicians.

Solana Imani Rowe was born 34 years ago in Maplewood. She goes by the name of SZA and it’s safe to say she had the night of her life at the 2024 Grammy Awards, being nominated nine times and winning four of the coveted statuettes.

They came out in full force to honor Jon Bon Jovi at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 2 as the 2024 Music Cares Person of the Year: Paul McCartney, Desmond Child, Rita Wilson, Nile Rodgers, Nancy Pelosi, Larkin Poe, Wolfgang Van Halen, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen and others.

He’s not yet 40 but producer Jack Michael Antonoff—from Bergenfield in Bergen County—has now won nine Grammy Awards including the last three years in a row as “Producer Of The Year Non-Classical.”

On Bruce Springsteen’s Instagram account, he wrote the following upon the passing of his 98-year old mom.

The venerable Nashville institution of the Grand Ole Opry started in 1925 as a radio show. In 1943, the Ryman Auditorium, built in 1892 as a church, started hosting the program until 1974 when Opryland was built. Now, the Ryman hosts artists of all genres. On January 24, Hoboken’s Smithereens took the stage.

For the 50th anniversary of The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, the Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music will present a symposium on February 10 at 1:00 p.m. celebrating the famous club. Entitled “Spotlighting 50 Legendary Years of Music Memories,” the day-long event will include panel discussions and interviews to “explore the history of the club through the eyes of those who helped to shape its success,” according to the Archives Director Eileen Chapman.

They loved him in Boston! Guitarist-Composer-Educator Dave Stryker blew the roof off Sculler’s in Boston recently with his high-powered groove quartet featuring Walter Smith III on tenor sax, Jared Gold on organ and McClenty Hunter on drums. The addition of Smith gave his acclaimed organ trio new vitality and added muscle to an already solid unit.

Singer-Songwriter-Drummer-Guitarist-Producer-Arranger-Author Paul Collins—raised in Old Tappan and Leonia in Bergen County—will have his Jem Records debut, ‘Stand Back & Take A Good Look,’ out February 16.

In the video for their new single, “Outside,” there’s a map of New Jersey on the wall behind their stage. Kanak hits a hard-driving groove on the song, a tale of alienation, made more profound by its lyrical honesty. “I think a lot of people feel like they don’t fit in and that has always been true for me. I have never felt like I belong.” So says front-man singer-songwriter Tom Kanach. It’s the first single from their upcoming ‘On The Outside’ EP, due March 22 via Pop Clique Music/The Orchard.