One of the strongest voices against the presidency of Donald Trump has been Bruce Springsteen, so it was both perplexing and amusing when the Springsteen tribute group, The B Street Band, was signed to play at the Garden State Inaugural Gala.
To be fair to the group, they signed for the gala before election day, so they didn’t even know who they would be playing for but it’s also a fact that it has been over two month since that day and the band has pulled out just four days before the inauguration.
In a statement, the band said that they were dropping from the performance “based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band” but, in fact, they have been the subject of literally hundreds of news stories over the last week from such sources as the New York Times and the Los Angeles Time along with criticism on social media from casual fans to the likes of New Jersey senator Ray Lesniak who said “Shame on the #BStreetBand playing at #Trump’s inaugural. They’ve profited from #Bruce now they’re abandoning the message in his music.”
The B Street Band, who has been playing Springsteen’s music for 37 years, issued the following statement:
With deepest apologies to our fans and the New Jersey Inaugural Ball committee, the B Street Band is withdrawing from performing at this year’s inauguration Gala.
Our decision is based SOLELY on the respect and gratitude we have for Bruce and the E Street Band.
Bruce’s music has been the foundation of our livelihood. The B Street Band would not exist without the talents of Bruce and our E Street brothers.
We are most grateful to these rock legends and look forward to many more years of emulating and performing the Forever Music, of Bruce Springsteen.
