NJ Rock Band, Singer Inducted Into Count Basie Center Walk Of Fame

RED BANK, NJ — A singer and a New Jersey rock band have officially been inducted as the two latest additions to the Count Basie Center for the Arts’ Walk of Fame.

Launched earlier this year as part of the Basie Center’s Centennial Celebration, the Walk of Fame honors artists who have performed at the historic venue, made an indelible impact on culture, and whose contributions reflect the enduring power of the arts.

On Friday, Darlene Love and The Smithereens became the two newest additions to the Walk of Fame during special ceremonies held before their respective shows at The Basie that evening.

The Walk of Fame is a permanent tribute to artists like them who have helped shape the Basie Center's identity over the last hundred years, Adam Philipson, President & CEO of the Count Basie Center for the Arts, said.

“As we celebrate our Centennial, honoring Darlene Love and The Smithereens reflects both the legacy of this institution and the enduring impact of artists who continue to inspire audiences across generations," Philipson said.

With a career spanning more than 60 years, Darlene Love has been a backup singer to over 200 well-known musicians and has various Billboard hits as a lead singer, including “He’s A Rebel,” “The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” “Wait ‘Til My Bobby Gets Home,” “He’s Sure the Boy I Love” and the #1 holiday classic “Christmas Baby Please Come Home,” which Love has performed annually on The Late Show With David Letterman for 29 years.

In 2011, Love was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in addition to her other performances at the Basie Center, she has also brought her holiday show to the historic stage 14 times.

Alongside Love, The Smithereens were also inducted into the Count Basie Center's Walk of Fame on Friday.

Formed in Carteret, the band was a popular fixture on MTV in the 1980s and had numerous appearances on The Tonight Show, Late Night and Saturday Night Live.

Today, their music remains a vital part of the American rock canon and a point of pride for New Jersey’s cultural history, Basie Center officials said.

After lead singer and founding member Pat DiNizio passed away in 2017, the band performed a memorial concert at the Basie Center to raise money for a scholarship in DiNizio’s name.

“We are truly honored to be included on the Count Basie Center for the Arts Walk of Fame,” said Dennis Diken of The Smithereens. “It’s especially meaningful to be recognized in our home state. I’m so grateful that I was bitten by the music bug at a tender age and to have found Jim, Mike, and Pat.”

“Together we forged a joyful noise that lifted the spirits of our listeners and our collective dream came true,” Diken continued. “Thank you, NJ, for giving us the steel to see it through.”

Jim Babjak, The Smithereens’ guitarist, added that along with his bandmates, he’s also grateful to have brought happiness and joy to so many people through the band’s passion for music.

“I am truly humbled by this honor and don’t take being awarded the Walk of Fame for granted,” Babjak said. “Thank you, Count Basie Center for the Arts, for honoring us and inspiring the next generation of artists. Long live live music!”

As part of Friday’s celebration, the Basie Center also awarded the Pat DiNizio Musical Performance Scholarship, which helps make music education accessible to young people studying through the Basie Center’s Turner Academy of the Arts and other affiliated programs.

This year’s scholarship recipients were Paloma Donohue from Red Bank Regional High School and Chloe Schneider from Marlboro High School.

“Nights like these capture what the Basie Center is all about — honoring artists who have shaped our history, while investing in the next generation through opportunities like the Pat DiNizio Musical Performance Scholarship,” said Jeremy Grunin, Chair of the Count Basie Center Board of Trustees. “The Walk of Fame reflects the legacy built on our stages, and the scholarship ensures that legacy continues.”

The Walk of Fame is part of the Basie Center’s Centennial Celebration, which commemorates the venue’s impact on arts, culture and community over the last 100 years.

Prior to Darlene Love and The Smithereens being inducted into the Walk of Fame, Jon Bon Jovi and William “Count” Basie were honored as inaugural inductees in September.

To learn more about the Walk of Fame, or Centennial Celebration events, partnerships and community engagement, you can click here.

Previous Coverage

• NJ Rock Band, Singer To Be Inducted Into Count Basie Center Walk Of Fame
• NJ Rock Star Inducted Into Count Basie Center Walk Of Fame
• NJ Rock Star To Be Inducted Into Count Basie Center Walk Of Fame
• Count Basie Center For The Arts Announces 16-Month ‘Centennial Celebration’