Red Bank’s cultural legacy takes a meaningful step forward this December as two towering names in American music, Darlene Love and The Smithereens, are formally inducted into the Count Basie Center for the Arts Walk of Fame. The ceremony, scheduled for Friday, December 19, 2025, recognizes artists whose careers have not only shaped popular music but also strengthened New Jersey’s standing as a creative force on the national stage.
The inductions will take place in conjunction with each artist’s performance that evening, reinforcing the Walk of Fame’s purpose as a living, breathing tribute rather than a static honor. Love will be celebrated during her holiday concert on the main stage at the Hackensack Meridian Health Theatre, while The Smithereens will receive their recognition in tandem with their performance at The Vogel, where they will be joined by guest vocalist John Cowsill.
For Red Bank and the historic Basie Center, the evening represents a convergence of past, present, and enduring influence. The Walk of Fame already features some of the most iconic figures in music and entertainment, including Count Basie himself and Jon Bon Jovi. Adding Darlene Love and The Smithereens further cements the venue’s role as a cornerstone of New Jersey’s performing arts scene and a destination for nationally significant talent, a tradition long celebrated across Explore New Jersey’s coverage of theatre and live performance.
Darlene Love’s career spans more than six decades and touches nearly every corner of American entertainment. A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, she rose to prominence in the early 1960s as one of the defining voices behind Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound productions. Her performances, particularly “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” became timeless fixtures of popular culture, while her work expanded into film, television, and Broadway. Love’s ability to move seamlessly between genres and mediums has made her not only a holiday icon but also one of the most respected vocalists of her generation.
The Smithereens represent a different, yet equally vital, chapter of New Jersey music history. Formed in Carteret in 1980, the band built a fiercely loyal following through sharp songwriting, chiming guitars, and a sound that bridged British Invasion melody with American rock urgency. Songs like “A Girl Like You” helped define late-1980s alternative rock, while the band’s constant presence on MTV and late-night television solidified its national profile. Their continued performances following the loss of frontman Pat DiNizio have been guided by respect, resilience, and a commitment to honoring the music they created together.
For many in New Jersey, DiNizio’s legacy is also personal. Beyond his role as a frontman and songwriter, he was known for his warmth and accessibility away from the stage. He once played third base on an MCA softball team alongside friends and colleagues, a reminder that behind the influential catalog was someone deeply connected to the people around him. That sense of community, and the friendships formed both on and off the field, remain an enduring part of The Smithereens’ story.
The Walk of Fame induction is more than a ceremonial milestone. It acknowledges how both Love and The Smithereens have carried New Jersey’s creative identity far beyond state lines while maintaining a genuine connection to home.
By honoring them on a night when their music fills the Basie Center’s stages, Red Bank reinforces the idea that the arts are not simply preserved in plaques and names, but lived through performance, memory, and shared experience.
As audiences gather for concerts that evening, they will also be witnessing history, one more chapter added to the Basie Center’s evolving narrative. For New Jersey, it is a fitting tribute to artists whose voices and songs continue to resonate, echoing through theaters, airwaves, and generations.
