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THUNDER’S ROLLING DOWN THIS TRACK #SANDYHELP

Friday night’s Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together, a telethon broadcast live on NBC and affiliated networks, raised funds for the American Red Cross, the money going directly to hurricane relief. Matt Lauer hosted the hour-long, commercial-free benefit. Staten Island’s Christina Aguilera, New Jersey’s Jon Bon Jovi, and Long Island’s Billy Joel all performed before Bruce Springsteen made his first appearance. Twenty minutes in, he was there to play acoustic guitar and sing backup for Jimmy Fallon on “Under the Boardwalk,” sharing a mic wth Joel’s sax man Mark Rivera. There were several other overqualified backing musicians onstage, too. As Jon Stewart said afterward, “Jimmy Fallon is a bold man to take the lead from Bruce Springsteen, Steven Tyler, and Billy Joel!”

Of course, that wasn’t the only performance from Bruce. The E Street Band was billed, and the E Street we got, as they closed the telethon in full force — no Patti, but E Street Horns and Choir present and accounted for. Stewart teamed up with Brian Williams to make the introduction, as two Jersey boys… who finally decided they could use a third. “We’re gonna send this out to the people of NY and NJ,” Springsteen said, “and to all those who put their lives on the line with their service this week. This is ‘Land of Hope and Dreams.'” A five-and-a-half minute version, with blaring horns and the “People Get Ready” outro, concluded with Bruce calling out, “God bless New York, God bless the Jersey Shore!”

To donate, visit RedCross.org or iTunes.com/redcross; call 1-800-HELPNOW or 1-800-RED-CROSS; or text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to make a $10 donation.