(CelebrityAccess) — John Lyon, better known to fans as Southside Johnny, the frontman of the legendary rock and blues band The Asbury Jukes, announced his official retirement.
“After a hugely successful 50-year run with his band Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, “Southside Johnny” Lyon has made the decision to retire from touring to manage ongoing health issues.”
As a result of the decision, the Asbury Jukes have cancelled all remaining shows and the other members of the group announced the band will end its run as well.
“Alas, as the Frontman retires from touring, so does his band. The Asbury Jukes will be remembered as an entity that supported their leader with muscle, nuance, accuracy, looseness, virtuosity, encyclopedic musical knowledge and the power to turn on a dime when their enigmatic singer changed gears and courses—sometimes mid-song. The band was like a freight train, almost impossible to knock us off the tracks. The Jukes played with pride and purpose on every stage—be it in clubs, arenas, parking lots, boats, knockdown joints, stadiums or zoos (not kidding). A band for The People,” said bandmember Jeff Kazee in a social media post on January 6th.
Formed in 1975 as the house band for the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, the original lineup featured Paul Green (harmonica, vocals) and Kenny Pentifallo (drums) along with Kevin Kavanaugh, Steven Van Zandt, Al Berger, Carlo Novi, and Billy Rush.
They would go on to release dozens of albums, including 11 studio albums and numerous live recordings, putting their mark on the map as pioneers of the “Jersey Shore sound,” alongside Springsteen and the E Street Band.
While they never achieved major success on the charts, the Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes developed a loyal fanbase and developed a reputation for their live performances.
Here’s a clip of the band’s 1985 performance at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester New York.
