Joe D’Urso, center, performs his song “Hold On” with Ben Arnold, left, and Vini Lopez at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park on Jan. 18, 2020.
“Just when you had enough, just when you’re giving up, you’ve got to hold on,” sings Joe D’Urso in his beautiful song “Hold On.”
“I usually dedicate ‘Hold On’ to anyone going through any physical or mental hardship,” said D’Urso, this week. “I think we are in uncharted territory at this current time and holding on is key and a way of not giving into fear, which is a powerful thing.”
“Hold On,” originally released on D’Urso’s 2010 album Down Here by the River, is the kind of song that can help those who are sick from the coronavirus — or just stressed by the fear of contracting it and the disruption of their lives — find the strength to endure.
The performance below was filmed by Rose Montana at the Jan. 18, 2020 Light of Day charity concert at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park. D’Urso played acoustic guitar and sang with original E Street Band member Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez and Ben Arnold.
D’Urso released his 14th album, Jersey Diner, in 2018 and is now working on a new release with his band Stone Caravan as well as the debut release for his other band, Joe D’Urso’s Acoustic Excursion, and an anthology of his recordings from 2004 to 2018. He also serves on the boards of Why Hunger (a non-profit organization co-founded by Harry Chapin) and the Light of Day Foundation (which raises awareness about and funds for Parkinson’s disease research) and is the founder of the Rockland-Bergen Music Festival,
To support D’Urso, visit jdcaravan.com/store or donate via Venmo (JDCaravan@gmail.com).
To support Lopez, visit facebook.com/vinidog.
To support Arnold, visit benarnold.com.
NJArts.net’s Songs to See Us Through series is designed to spotlight songs relevant to the coronavirus crisis and encourage readers to support the artists who made them (and won’t be able to generate income via concerts at this time). Click here for links to all songs in the series.
We encourage artists to email us submissions (newly recorded, if possible) at njartsdaily@gmail.com. Please include links to sites such as Patreon and Venmo. Readers can also make suggestions via that email address.
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
