ASBURY PARK, NJ (July 6, 2004):

“Asbury Park Deputy Mayer James Bruno stated, “Everyone knows that the City of Asbury Park is Bruce’s adopted town. Whenever we ask him to come to the plate for the City he hits a home run every time. On behalf of the City of Asbury Park we are honored to bestow the Inaugural Red White & Blue Award to the Boss for his unyielding support of the City and its people.”

The inaugural Red White & Blue Award was announced over the 4th of July holiday during the Red White and Blue Weekend held at the Stone Pony in honor of their 30th Anniversary year. New Jersey icons such as Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes, Clarence Clemons, Bobby Bandiera and Robert Randolph were among the performers. In addition to music, a festival next to Convention hall included amusement rides, arts and crafts, and local awards. Capping off the Red White & Blue Weekend was a massive fireworks display on the beach in front of the Stone Pony. This iconic music venue situated in Asbury Park is where Bruce Springsteen launched his career three decades ago with his first album “ Greetings from Asbury Park New Jersey”.

The Annual Red White & Blue Award will be presented every year to musicians, artists and sports heroes, who, however high they climbed never wavered in their support of their hometowns . The Red White & Blue Award will give local communities the chance to say “thank you” to those homegrown musical greats who may have conquered the world but who never forgot where they came from.

The Red White & Blue Award and Weekend is created and produced by EPOP International. CEO David Clark is a direct descendent of Abraham Clark, the New Jersey patriot who signed the Declaration of Independence for New Jersey. Explaining the significance of the Award, Mr. Clark stated “The men who signed the Declaration of Independence stood up for their local communities when it was hard and the future of the nation was uncertain. Thus, I’m honored to launch the annual Red White & Blue Award in New Jersey with the City of Asbury Park – to honor Bruce Springsteen for promoting the local community when its future was uncertain. Today we are pleased to honor Mr. Springsteen for his continual support of the City, which helped ensure the renaissance that it now enjoys”.