At the ceremony on October 29th, Scialfa was celebrated alongside The Sopranos creator David Chase, who was inducted by the E-Street Band’s Steven Van Zandt. The event marked the 15th anniversary of the Hall of Fame, and hosting duties were carried out by local legend Danny DeVito.
“Hello, New Jersey! It’s so cool to be here tonight for my baby,” Springsteen told the audience as he walked on stage. Touching on his relationship with Scialfa, he noted: “Together, we carry on the Irish-Italian mating tradition so prevalent along our little stretch of the Jersey Shore. I met Patti at the Stone Pony. Where else?”
During her speech, Scialfa said: “To meet and work with so many brilliant musicians and artists and find a piece of that world — a little piece of that world — for myself, I am so deeply grateful to the many people I’ve worked with who have reflected back to me the beauty and transformative power of music.”
Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa, Steven Van Zandt and Tony Orlando singing *backup* for the finale of the New Jersey Hall of Fame ceremony. pic.twitter.com/U5sF0lKCZE
— Amy Kuperinsky (@AmyKup) October 30, 2023
Scialfa, who previously was inducted into her home state’s Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band in 2012, discussed the new honor to the USA Today Network New Jersey. (americansongwriter reports)
“I’m super flattered,” she said. “You look at the list of inductees and it’s quite illustrious so you’re going, ‘Oh my gosh!’ I’m a little overwhelmed with imposter syndrome right now.”
In addition, Scialfa’s husband was one of the Hall’s inaugural inductees in 2008, while two other E Street Band members also were inducted individually—guitarist (and Sopranos actor) Steven Van Zandt in 2017 and drummer Max Weinberg in 2022.
Scialfa also reflected on being a part of Springsteen’s dynamic group, which she joined in 1984. “You have to bring your best to the stage; that’s what you’re there for. When you go out on that stage, which has pretty much been the same stage for 40 years, it doesn’t really change. That spot, your body responds to that. Automatically you’re in that mode.”
“When I work with the band, I do like to keep it in a separate part of my mind, in a professional way, really, and not bring any kind of personal relationship to the stage,” Scialfa noted.
The Legendary E Street Band series from E Street Radio explores the unique contributions and strengths of each band member. New episode harmonizes nicely with Women's History Month and focuses on the First Lady of Love herself, Ms. Patti Scialfa. the Patti Scialfa edition, in on air exclusively on E Street Radio (SiriusXM channel 20), with replays to follow over the coming week.
It’s not easy to talk about Scialfa without mentioning Springsteen; they’ve been a part of one another’s lives for a very long time.(cheatsheet.com)
Vivienne Patricia Scialfa, 66, was raised in New Jersey, graduating from Asbury Park High School in 1971.Scialfa is immediately identified by millions as Mrs. Bruce Springsteen. But she recently released her own music, a solo album entitled 23rd Street Lullaby. Scialfa produced the album, which Springsteen contributed to on guitar and keyboards.
“My dad was a very hardworking man. But on Sundays, Scialfa says, “He went to the Church of Sinatra. . . That’s the soundtrack from my youth—Sinatra. . . . In Frank Sinatra’s voice, you heard all the possibilities. There’s a big world out there, outside of yourself, larger than yourself, larger than the emotions that you’re letting yourself feel. . . Sinatra’s music gave me that—a gift.”
Scialfa’s serious musical chops
After high school, Scialfa studied jazz vocals at the prestigious jazz conservatory at the University of Miami. She started writing her own songs and recording demos.
“I remember getting off the stage one night, and I was talking to a few of my friends,” Scialfa says, “and I saw this group of people slowly swarm up to me, like a tide rising toward me. . . And finally, I turn around, and Bruce is standing there. He was such a magnet, he had all of these people around him.”
“Oh, hi,” Scialfa recalls saying, trying to sound casual. “I just want to tell you that I like the way you sing,” he said.
“It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship,” she says. “We had a beer together, sat at a table and talked. After that … we would go out to the Ink Well in West End and have a hamburger and the chocolate milk with the whipped cream on top.”
