New Jersey Marks 50 Years of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’ With Special Exhibit in Passaic County
New Jersey is honoring a seminal album that changed American rock music at 50. On March 5 and running through July 19, the Passaic County Arts Center at Goffle Brook Park in Hawthorne will host an exhibition honoring Bruce Springsteen’s breakout album “Born to Run”. The album’s legacy is still powerful 50 years later, as the first night sold out.
The exhibit shows Bruce Springsteen’s close relationship with Passaic County. County Commissioner Director Sandi Lazzara said Springsteen’s journey was shaped by the region. County officials say the show highlights a great album and the live performances and local venues that helped him become famous.
Springsteen, 76, tours often. He announced a spring tour with the E Street Band starting in April, proving that “Born to Run” inspires all ages.
The Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University curated the show. Rare outtakes from Eric Meola’s black-and-white photo shoot for the “Born to Run” album cover will be on display. The image of Springsteen leaning against Clarence Clemons became one of rock’s most famous covers.
The show also revisits Springsteen’s 1978 Capitol Theater three-night run, a career-defining performance. Many lifelong fans consider September 19, the opening night of that run, Springsteen and the E Street Band’s best performance.
John Scher, who owned the Capitol Theater, remembered the tremendous mood during those events. He called the energy remarkable, adding the audience felt something amazing happening live. At all three nights, Ken Lucianin, whose father was Passaic’s police chief, said the throng never sat down. The enthusiasm was great, he remembered.
Music historians call “Born to Run” Springsteen’s game-changer. His first two Columbia Records albums sold poorly, and this third one was his last. Melissa Ziobro, show curator, said “Born to Run” success was crucial. Springsteen’s career may have ended in the mid-1970s if it failed commercially.
Instead, the album was a hit. The title track became a New Jersey youth anthem. Local fans loved lyrics about Highway 9 and “The Palace” because they knew them. Many residents took Springsteen’s triumph personally. This native talent brought the state’s spirit to the national stage.
His climb was not easy. Springsteen and his manager, Mike Appel, had a contract dispute soon after his breakthrough. The lawsuit delayed recording until 1978. After the matter was settled, Springsteen published “Darkness on the Edge of Town” and resumed touring. The Capitol Theater concerts in Passaic were the only New Jersey stops on that tour, adding to its historic significance. The opening night performance was carried live on the radio, solidifying its reputation.
Music history includes the Capitol Theater. Founded in 1971, it welcomed The Who, Rolling Stones, and Grateful Dead. The arena closed in 1989 and was razed two years later, but this exhibition honors its most famous performances.
A Springsteen-designed marquee from 1978 is on display. Student graphic artist Arlen Schumer drew the sign after attending all three performances. Later, he had the band autograph his illustration backstage. The exhibit includes that autographed artwork and video from the spectacular first night.
Schumer often says hearing “Born to Run” on the radio changed his life. He had never heard a singer perform with such passion and sincerity, as if everything depended on that song. Many believe Springsteen’s raw intensity attracts younger generations.
After 50 years, “Born to Run” is more than an album. It symbolizes ambition, risk, and an artist’s perseverance. Photography, memorabilia, and firsthand recollections from attendees at the Passaic County exhibition allow fans to relive that music history turning point.
New Jersey’s milestone anniversary celebration goes beyond nostalgia. It honors how one record shaped modern rock music and preserved the culture of a state proud to call Bruce Springsteen its home.
Sources
Passaic County Arts Center at Goffle Brook Park
Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music at Monmouth University
Official statements from Passaic County officials
