Lucky for you I am trying to be brief so you will not have to suffer my usual outpouring of “Southside Silliness.” (Yes, my friends and family are amused but they do tire of hearing my constant updates on the whereabouts of the band, tails of my recent “Best Show Ever,” plans for the next “Best Show,” and stories about my concert buddies.)

Here goes. . . . I grew up in Jersey but entirely missed the shore music scene during the 70’s and 80’s. I was busy with college, career, marriage, and babies. After stints as a soccer mom, girl scout cookie mom, and surviving 2 teenagers, the kids left for college and I rediscovered music. (My house growing up was filled with music…Sinatra and the like. My first live show was with my parents, Sammy Davis Jr. at the Latin Casino! He was fabulous and I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a frustrated pianist when young, and loved live music during my college years. But then there were those years of singing along with Sesame Street, the Annie songs, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.)

I reconnected with an old friend (we met in '74 and stayed in touch, but our lives took very different paths for a while), and I found that while I was leading the exciting life of mom and wife, she was enjoying Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Southside! Believe it or not, I knew little about “Bruce,” and nothing about BJ or SSJ. She laughed at my mix-up between Earth, Wind, and Fire and Blood, Sweat, and Tears that led to disaster, and decided that I needed a lot of help. She became my “music mentor," and promised I would love Southside and the Jukes. My first few experiences fell on deaf ears….literally. We went to the racetrack and a few other shows where there did not appear to be sound systems at all. She’d stand behind me and shove me through the fans to the very front of the stage to my great embarrassment (yes, I used to be shy) and I’d watch the Jukes jumping around and sweating on stage, wondering what all the excitement was about. However, I listened to Jukes’ tapes (before I even had a CD player in the car) until I wore them out, and after about 6 shows or so my life truly changed. She had created a monster! All of a sudden I was telling her where and when the shows were, and I was leading the way to stand front and center! In fact the only NYE resolution that I ever made and kept was several years ago when I decided to try to see the Jukes in as many different venues as possible! As for the Band, I love the energy, the passion, and unpredictability of the shows! They never disappoint! All of the members of the band are so approachable and real! I respect them professionally……and envy the joy they seem to have when performing. (Hood…I love watching you dance too!) But then, how many of us get applause and cries for encores at our jobs? Through the band and their fans I’ve also had the pleasure of finding out about so many other great musicians…leading to more and more great live shows! My world is a much happier place! I look forward to more road trips to Baltimore and Virginia, BBKings shows, of course the annual journey to Point Pleasant…..and hopefully new venues every year!

Thanks to the many SSJ fans I’ve had the pleasure to get to know, dance with, email, and share the fun! Special thanks also to my husband. He doesn’t understand why I HAVE to see Southside more than once a year, but he goes along with this little “hobby” (some might call it an obsession) of mine because it just makes me so darn HAPPY!

Til the next show………Lin