Jersey rockers pay tribute to fallen B Street singer at Glennstock

It was a very emotional day at Jenkinson's Bar in Point Pleasant Beach.

Jersey Shore rockers Jo Bonanno and Eddie Testa took the stage at various times with the B Street band to pay tribute to their former lead singer, Glenn Stuart, who lost his battle with lung cancer last February at the age of 63. It was at Jenks that Glenn first auditioned to join the band in 1992.

I opened the event with a few words, and it was all that I could do to get off stage without breaking down as I looked at the packed house that had been there for my best friend since high school.

There were many sobbing in the crowd, especially when, during the band break, they played 2 of Glenn's original songs, "Highways and Rivers" and "Thoughts on Things," which included the lyric "Love one another, at least get along, Cause it's only one moment, we're here then we're gone."

B Street lead singer Joey Thompson.

That lyric was on the back of tee shirts that were sold at the event along with downloads of Glenn's music to raise money for his family. A GoFundMe has also been set up.

The band played two long sets. The first with new lead singer Joey Thompson who opened with "Blood Brothers" as he did when he joined me Thursday night in studio on New Jersey 101.5. Band founder and keyboard player Willy Forte.

Jo Bonanno sings with the band.

"GlennStock was a 4-hour rollercoaster of feelings. I tried to speak with hundreds of fans who followed us for decades to show my appreciation for them, some making the effort traveling from states as far away as Florida to say Goodbye to Glenn. The night was a lovefest of memories of Glenn’s hundreds of performances on that stage for over 20 years."

Jo Bonanno and Eddit Testa joined the band for the second set which included Glenn's son who manned the drums on some songs just like his father did when he was starting out. I spoke to Bonanno.

"We know he's not here but in spirit we could feel him around us right now. I feel Glenn's presence I really do."

Glenn's wife Grace and his daughter Annie.

We really felt Glenn's presence when Sean surprised his mother, Grace, and sister, Annie, by playing the drums on "Born To Run" with both on stage for an emotional ending to an emotional night.

That's when the full impact of the evening hit Forte

"The moment the show ended, the realization of Glenn passing and never being on stage again came to me full tilt. Leaving Jenks I was completely numb as if a part of my body was missing and the pain medicine was starting wear off. I finally came to realize this was closure of the Glenn Stuart era."

Glenn's son Sean on drums.

There will never be a "closure of the Glenn Stuart era" his presence will continue to hang over the band and those who love and came to love him.