Bruce Springsteen inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame

Bruce Springsteen, Albert Einstein, Frank Sinatra and Yogi Berra were among the inaugural inductees to the New Jersey Hall of Fame on May 4th. Other inductees saluted at Newark's New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark included inventor Thomas Edison, Meryl Streep, astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, football coach Vince Lombardi, educator Clara Barton, author Toni Morrison, African-American abolitionist Harriet Tubman, publisher Malcolm Forbes, and philanthropist Robert Wood Johnson II.

A prerequisite for induction was that all inductees must have lived in the state for at least five years. Organizers made an exception to that rule for Underground Railroad pioneer Harriet Tubman.

Officials are currently raising money to build a permanent museum for the Hall. The inaugural class was chosen via the Internet after the 25 finalists were announced in 2006.

Bon Jovi drummer and New Jersey native Tico Torres explained the allure of music coming from New Jersey: [ Click to listen if you have a backstage pass] "We grew up very close to New York, I Mean it's only minutes away. And New York's always been a Mecca for world music. There's always been a saying -- 'If you made it in New York, you made it worldwide.' You know being from Jersey, it's more street and attitude, and you get a lot of musicians that come from out of that because of it."

For more information, log on to njhalloffame.com.
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