Bill Chinnock in 1980.
Bill Chinnock was born in Newark and grew up in East Orange and Millburn, but found his musical home on the Jersey shore, in the 1960s. A contemporary of Bruce Springsteen, he led bands that included various future E Streeters, including Vini Lopez, Garry Tallent, Danny Federici and David Sancious. He later lived in Maine and Nashville, but continued to record and tour, and could always draw crowds in Asbury Park.
In 2006, he was honored as one of the Creators of S.O.A.P. (The Sound of Asbury Park) on a monument installed on the Asbury boardwalk.
He suffered from lyme disease, late in his life, and died in 2007, at the age of 59. But here’s a good clip to remember him by: An intense performance of “The Boys on the Avenue” at the Big Man’s West nightclub (owned by Clarence Clemons) in Red Bank on 1982.
New Jersey celebrated its 350th birthday in 2014. And in the 350 Jersey Songs series, we marked the occasion by posting 350 songs — one a day, from September 2014 to September 2015 — that have something to do with the state, its musical history, or both. To see the entire list, click here.
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3 comments
Hi Jay,
I’m a long time reader and fan of your stuff.
I’m sure you already thought of them, but we MUST have at least one Beaver Brown song, maybe Boardwalk Angel (or Tender Years).
Also what about something by Kinderhook? I went with a group of guys to see them EVERY Sunday at the Beach House in Point Pleasant during the summer of 1978.
Beaver Brown – definitely.
Kinderhook – maybe but you know part of the issue is there needs to be a good YouTube video out there to post along with the item. Let me check on what’s out there.
i was a good freind if bills up here in maine and anywhere he played up here , at a small country fair or at a big venue it was packed. pepole from jersy, tennesse, were up. as for the list i would say all of them , but mine would be something for everybody but “when you love somebody” should be dedicaed to terry he wrote the song for her, bill was knowed as the ledged of the north country, and he is and we will never forget him, his son william is going to be the next big thing in a few years he has talent from dad and his grand father the late dick curless…..