Bruce Springsteen’s debut album to be the subject of a symposium at New Jersey university

January 5 will mark the 50th anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen‘s debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., and to mark the occasion, a daylong symposium featuring some of the musicians who played on the record is being held at New Jersey’s Monmouth University.

The Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music at Monmouth is organizing the symposium, scheduled for Saturday, January 7. E Street Band bass player Garry Tallent, original E Street keyboardist David Sancious and original E Street drummer Vini Lopez are taking part in the event, along with Bruce’s former manager Mike Appel.

Panel discussions, interviews, a book signing, a performance of the album’s songs by local musicians and the debut of a mini documentary on the making of the album, featuring an exclusive interview with Springsteen, round out the event.

Ahead of the symposium, a free Zoom conversation about Greetings is taking place January 3 at 7:30 p.m. EST. David Sancious will be performing at The Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey, on January 6.

In addition to Tallent, Lopez and Sancious, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. featured the late Clarence Clemons, among other non-E Street Band musicians. The album includes some of Springsteen’s most popular early songs, including “Spirit In the Night,” “Blinded By the Light” and “Growin’ Up,” as well as fan favorites “For You” and “It’s Hard to Be a Saint in the City.”