If you've ever seen Eddie Testa and his band perform, you know that you're in for a great time. Eddie is a Jersey Shore legend and has been rocking clubs and parties for years. It was Eddie and his band that played when his friend Bruce Springsteen danced with his mom at The Wonder Bar back in 2018.

Steve Trevelise and Eddie Testa (Photo: Steve Trevelise)
Steve Trevelise and Eddie Testa (Photo: Steve Trevelise)
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On Friday, Feb. 24, you can see both Eddie and his band in a one-of-a-kind, very special show called, "Hey I'm From Freehold Too!" —  An Evening with Eddie Testa and his Band, Feb. 24, at the House Of Independents, in Asbury Park, NJ.  Hosted by yours truly.

This original performance will be filmed in front of the live audience, and ticket-holders will also receive a pass to the Streamcast (TBA), along with a digital download of the audio from the concert.

Eddie was on my New Jersey 101.5 show to explain:

It's something different because it's all original music. We're doing no cover music whatsoever. It's a timeline of since I was 14-15. The first songs that I wrote, up to now, up to this CD that we weren't able to really put out. We did it during COVID. But we never were able to really get it out there. It's out there, but you know, not the way we want it to present it.

(Photo: Penny Charles)
(Photo: Penny Charles)
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Eddie was introduced to music by his grandfather.

My grandfather got me into music, really. People don't know that. I worked for my grandfather when I was eight and nine years old, carrying his drum set from gig to gig. My grandfather was a great drummer.

The show, according to Testa is:

Just things that happened throughout my whole life, and where I was musically. I was like every other writer: if you hear a song on the radio, and you love that song, as a songwriter, you try to emulate that song. So you try to write a song like that. Things like that in the periods of my life.

(Photo: Penny Charles)
(Photo: Penny Charles)
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Motown was a big influence in Eddie Testa's life

I was Motown kid, all the r&b stuff. My father was from Plainfield, and he felt a big connection to Frankie Valli and the Rascals and those guys because they were from Jersey. So a lot of that going on, but more of the Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam, and Dave. Obviously all the Motown stuff, Marvin Gaye, all that stuff. That was in my house constantly.

Eddie's been surrounded by the best.

I've always had great people with me playing, producing. I've always been very fortunate. I always say, 'one man is not an army.' I mean, it takes a lot of people to do the songs, and put these together, to put my ideas out the way I see them, or to convince me to see them this way or that way.

The band I have right now, all those guys, they're just phenomenal, phenomenal musicians and we became great friends. I still talk to every guy that I ever been in a band with. Really, everybody. There's no animosity, there's no, you know; anybody I've ever worked with has never been egomaniac or myself.

Eddie Testa (Photo: Penny Charles)
Eddie Testa (Photo: Penny Charles)
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And that's what makes Eddie Testa so beloved in Freehold, throughout New Jersey, and wherever.

For tickets to "Hey I'm From Freehold Too!" —  An Evening with Eddie Testa and his Band, click here.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

You can now listen to Steve Trevelise — On Demand! Discover more about New Jersey’s personalities and what makes the Garden State interesting . Download the Steve Trevelise show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

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