Jon Bon Jovi will be honored on the Count Basie Center for the Arts’ Walk of Fame.
As previously announced, jazz icon and Red Bank native William James “Count” Basie will be one of the honorees on the new Walk of Fame at The Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. And it was announced today that Jon Bon Jovi — who has performed at The Count Basie Center for the Arts many times, and whose JBJ Soul Foundation has operated a nonprofit community restaurant, JBJ Soul Kitchen, within walking distance of the Red Bank venue since 2011 — will also be honored.
A ceremony at the Basie Center will take place Sept. 25 at 11 a.m., and be streamed at facebook.com/basiecenter. Jon Bon Jovi is confirmed to attend.
The Basie Center — which opened in 1926 and has had several different names, over the years — has begun its 16-month centennial celebration. The creation of the Walk of Fame is part of this celebration.
The Basie Center is multi-faceted facility whose main theater, originally known as Reade’s Carlton, is now called The Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre. There is also a smaller concert venue, The Vogel, and The Grunin Arts Education Building, with Basie Center Cinemas nearby.
More than 300,000 people attend events at the Basie Center annually, with its educational offerings reaching more than 20,000 students each year, both through on-site programs and others presented in schools and in the community.
For information and updates on the Centennial Celebration, visit thebasie.org/centennial.
SEPT. 26 UPDATE: Here is a video of Jon Bon Jovi’s acceptance speech:
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