Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Chesney To Mark U.S. 250th Birthday With Jersey Shore Concerts

New Jersey native sons Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi will headline a two-night concert event, June 4 and 5 at the OceanFirst Bank Center on the campus of the state’s Monmouth University, home of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music to mark America’s 250th birthday celebration, according to a report on NJ.com. Other performers scheduled to appear include Kenny Chesney, Mavis Staples and Public Enemy, among others. 

“Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us” come three days after the official opening of the Center for American Music on June 7.

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The lineup also includes Jackson Browne, Rosanne Cash, Gary Clark Jr., Dion, Dropkick Murphys, Shemekia Copeland, Valerie June, Keb’ Mo’, Nils Lofgren, Darlene Love, David Sancious, Tony Trischka, Sister Sadie, Trombone Shorty and the New Breed Brass Band, Stevie Van Zandt, and Jimmie Vaughan. The Disciples of Soul will serve as the house band. Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Each artist is slated to perform “landmark songs from American music history,” with genres including blues, bluegrass, rock, hip-hop, folk, jazz, country, and gospel. Narration will precede each performance to provide context about the artist, song, and genre.

“’Music America: The Songs that Shaped Us’ is a journey through American music history,” said Robert Santelli, executive director of the Springsteen Center and the concerts’ executive producer, in a statement. “The concerts reflect everything the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music stands for: the power of music to bring people together, the rich and diverse treasury of American music as a mirror of our national culture, and the inspiration to think about our shared history in these divisive times.”

The concerts continue the Springsteen Center’s 250-year celebration, which began in 2024 with “Music America: Iconic Objects from America’s Music History,” a traveling exhibition currently on display at the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame in Boston.

“We’re honored to bring together some of the most celebrated performers of our time for this once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music. “By uniting these artists on one stage, we’re creating an unforgettable experience that honors our past while inspiring the next generation who will shape our future.”

Tickets for each concert will be sold separately and go on sale at noon April 21 at springsteencenter.org.