Rocker John Waite joins Light of Day fight against Parkinson's at big Basie show

Waite and see the Light.

Brit rock legend John Waite will make his Light of Day WinterFest debut at the Bob's Birthday Bash show on Saturday, Jan. 14, at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank.

“You chip away, you do whatever you can to get into the fight,” said Waite of the Light of Day cause.

Bob's Birthday Bash is named after founder Bob Benjamin, an artist manager who was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 1998. The Light of Day started as a birthday party for Benjamin. It's grown into an international movement that raises funds and awareness for the fight against Parkinson's and related neuro-degenerative diseases, Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Bruce Springsteen is a supporter. He's performed at 12 of the previous 21 live Light of Days, all unannounced.

“I never met Bruce. I admire his work,” Waite said. “I read his book ('Born to Run') and I thought it was probably the best biography I ever read from a performing rock artist. I thought it was very well written — endlessly talented with words and very articulate and a soulful guy.”

Waite, who first became known as a singer of the Babys in the '70s, is having a moment thanks in part to the hit documentary, “The Hard Way,” which came out in December.

“I'm slightly bemused by it but it makes me smile. It’s a cool thing,” said Waite of “The Hard Way.” “If somebody makes a movie of your life, you kind of go with it.”

There's a lot to see, from breakout success with the Babys (“Isn't It Time” and “Every Time I Think of You”), to solo stardom in the '80s (“Missing You”), to hits (“When I See You Smile”) with the Bad English super group.

Along the way, he's made a few stops in New Jersey. He's collaborated with Asbury Park rocker Glen Burtnik in the past, and he recorded part of his new EP, “Anything,” at Anthony Krizan's Sonic Boom Recording Studio in Raritan.

“Anthony's been a good friend of mine for the last 25 years,” said Waite, who also performs Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood. “We started working together and we wrote a couple of things for 'Temple,' a watershed period in my career when I came back with a whole different style, really.”

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“Anything,” the EP's title track, is a sparkling ballad that wonderfully frames Waite's rich tenor.

“I love his voice,” said Tony Pallagrosi, Light of Day executive director. “John has an incredibly expressive and affecting voice. It draws me in and makes me want to listen to the lyrics.”

Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Dave Hause, Jesse Malin, the Weeklings, Joe D’Urso, Jill Hennessy, Williams Honor, Fantastic Cat and more will also perform at the Basie on Saturday.

Benjamin is looking forward to the show.

“I have been living with Parkinson's for 28 years,” said Benjamin via email. “(2022) saw no blockbuster announcements regarding potential cures. Parkinson's is relentless and research has been relentless, too.”

Nearly 1 million people in the United States are living with Parkinson's disease, and the number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030, according to the Parkinson's Foundation. It's the second-most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's.

Benjamin is hopeful that new treatments and therapies will offer relief, such as the therapeutic glove from Stanford University that imparts vibration to the fingertips in order to relieve Parkinson’s symptoms, according to the American Parkinson Disease Foundation.

“Progress was made toward better treatment and prevention,” Benjamin said. “So after 28 years of living with Parkinson's I am still optimistic. As Senorita Spanish Rose said, 'the dope is that there is still hope.' "

The Light of Day Foundation funds research into possible cures, improved treatments, and support for patients (and their families and caregivers) who suffer from Parkinson's and the related diseases. Light of Day programs include Boxing for Bob, which uses boxing exercises to help with mobility.

In the past, the Birthday Bash took place at the Paramount Theatre in Asbury Park, but concerts at the Paramount and Convention Hall have been canceled since August 2021. Asbury Park issued a notice of default to Madison Marquette, the retail developer of the city's boardwalk, over safety concerns and other issues at the Paramount.

Light of Day Winterfest events are focused primarily on Asbury Park this weekend, in addition to the Bob's Birthday Bash on Saturday and Best of National Touring Tribute Bands show Friday, Jan. 13, at the Basie. This year's fest began Jan. 7 at the Word Cafe Live in Philadelphia, and will conclude Friday, Jan. 20, with a Songwriters in the Round show at the Outpost in the Burbs in Montclair.

Visit lightofday.org for more information and tickets.

“We're ready to rock,” Pallagrosi said.

Light of Day WinterFest 2023 Schedule

Wednesday, Jan. 11

LOD Clarence Clemons Birthday Tribute with Jarod Clemons and the Late Nights, Glenn Alexander and Shadowland, Joe D’Urso and Stone Caravan, Jeffrey Gaines and Jeff Slate with Band, 7 p.m., City Winery Loft, 25 11th Ave., New York; citywinery.com/newyork.

Thursday, Jan. 12

LOD Kickoff with Steve Forbert, Williams Honor, James Maddock, Fantastic Cat, Adam Ezra Band and Lisa Bouchelle and The Bleu, 6:55 p.m., Asbury Lanes, 209 4th Ave., Asbury Park; asburylanes.com.

LOD Sandy Mack’s WonderJam Deluxe, 7:15 p.m., Wonder Bar, Fifth and Ocean avenues, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD WinterFest 2023 Bluehawk Records Showcase with Matt and Eryn O'Ree with Joe Rapolla and the Blue Hawks Allstars, Bryan and Alexa Haring, Samantha Spano, Jenaw and Max, White Wing and Butterfly Garden, 8 p.m., Langosta Lounge, 1000 Ocean Ave. at Second Ave., Asbury Park. Free; langostalounge.com.

LOD Open Mic, 8 p.m., Sound Booth at The Asbury hotel, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park; theasburyhotel.com.

Friday, Jan. 13

LOD at the Wonder Bar with Dave Hause & The Mermaid, The Weeklings, Bobby Mahoney & Seventh Son and The Wag, 6:55 p.m. Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD at the Asbury Park Yacht Club, with Stringbean & The Boardwalk Social Club, 8 p.m. Asbury Park Yacht Club, on the Boardwalk adjacent to Langosta Lounge; apyachtclub.com.

LOD Asbury Angels Induction with Joe Grushecky & the Houserockers, Willie Nile, Tangiers Blues Band, Miss Emily, Jarod Clemons, Kulick, Adam Ezra, Ben Arnold, Evan Rotella and Ian Seaholm, 6:55 p.m., Stone Pony, 913 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; stoneponyonline.com.

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LOD Acoustic Carousel with Pete Scherer, Cara Smith, Alex English, Chelsea Palerno, Paul Whistler, Quincy Mumford, Ryan Gregg, Joshua Mark, Lilly Marshall, Renee Maskin, Mojo Hand and Sunlight, 8 p.m. Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park; langostalounge.com.

LOD Silverball Night of Covers with Joe D’ Urso & Stone Caravan, Dead Air, Kenny K, Me and Bobby D, and Freddy & The Phantoms, 7:30 p.m. Silverball Museum Arcade, 1000 Ocean Ave., Abury Park; silverballmuseum.com/asbury-park.

LOD at the Supper Club with Albert Lee and The Billy Hector Band, 7:30 p.m. Tim McLoones Supper Club, 1200 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

LOD Best of National Touring Tribute Bands with Tusk (tribute to Fleetwood Mac) and Late For The Sky (celebrating the music of Jackson Browne), 7:30 p.m., Count Basie Center for the Arts, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank; thebasie.org.

Saturday, Jan. 14

LOD Bob’s Birthday Bash: The Main Event with John Waite, Joe Grushecky & The Houserockers, Willie Nile, Dave Hause, Jesse Malin, The Weeklings, Joe D’Urso, Jill Hennessy, Williams Honor, Fantastic Cat and more, Count Basie Center for the Arts, Red Bank. 6:30 p.m.; thebasie.org.

LOD Asbury Blues with Billy Walton Band, Norman Seldin Band, Jobonanno & Godsons of Soul, Peter V Blues Train, Indigo Mane, Pam McCoy, Ian Seaholm, Boccigalupe & the Badboys, 12:30 p.m., Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

Light of Day All Together Now Beatles Acoustic with Bob Burger, James Maddock, Jeffrey Gaines, Adam Ezra, Emily Grove, Pam McCoy, Jillian McCoy and Ron Haney, John Kasun and Ben Arnold, 12:30 p.m. Location to be announced.

LOD Songwriters in the Round hosted by Johnny Grushecky, Bobby Mahoney and Zack Sandler, noon, Transparent Clinch Gallery, 210 Fifth Ave., Asbury Park; transparentclinchgallery.com.

Sunday, Jan. 15

LOD Cover Me with Marc Ribler’s Tribute to Jimi Hendrix, Bob Burger & The Red Shoes (Elvis Costello), Eddie Testa Band, The One Hit Wonders and more, 1:30 p.m., Wonder Bar, Asbury Park; wonderbarasburypark.com.

LOD Next Generation with Rockit, Double A, Jake Ryan Band, Maddie, Rock’n Music Academy, Green Planet Band, Atomic Battery, School of Rock and more, 12:15 p.m. Stone Pony, Asbury Park; stoneponyonline.com.

LOD Songwriters By The Sea I with Stella Mrowicki, Jake Mathison, Mary McCrink, Joe Alton Miller, Chuck DeBryan, Sean Tobin, Arlon Bennett and more, 12:15 p.m., Watermark, 800 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park; watermarkap.com.

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LOD Songwriters By The Sea II with Nick Ryan, Dave Vargo, Jeffrey Campbell, Gerry Perlinski, Victoria Taylor, Kyle Ward, Jake Thistle, Taylor Tote, Arlan Feiles, Tess Cameron and Jeff Slate, 3 p.m., Langosta Lounge, Asbury Park; langostalounge.com.

LOD Songwriters By The Sea III with Joe Grushecky, Willie Nile, James Maddock, Marc Ribler, Jeffrey Gaines, Miss Emily, Ben Arnold, Joe D’Urso, Lisa Bouchelle, Joe Rapolla, Glenn Alexander & Oria Aspen, Fantastic Cat, Emily Grove and Christine Martucci, 6:15 p.m., Tim McLoone’s Supper Club, Asbury Park; timmcloonessupperclub.com.

Friday, Jan. 20

LOD Songwriters In The Round with Willie Nile, Guy Davis, Jill Hennessy, Jeffrey Gaines, James Maddock, Joe D’Urso, Daniella Cotton, Jake Thistle, Rick Winowski, Williams Honor and Jon Caspi, 8 p.m., Outpost In The Burbs, 40 S. Fullerton Ave., Montclair; outpostintheburbs.org.

Schedule and lineups subject to change.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Light of Day: Rocker John Waite joins fight against Parkinson's