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Eddie Bruce (Courtesy of Eddie Bruce)<\/p>\nEddie Bruce (Courtesy of Eddie Bruce)<\/p>\n
If you grew up in Jewish Philadelphia in the 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, you probably went to Eddie Bruce affairs. The popular bandleader and master of ceremonies, who is Jewish himself, played weddings, b\u2019nai mitzvahs and other Jewish celebrations.<\/p>\n
Eddie Bruce Entertainment, or EBE, was, as its namesake leader described it, a \u201clucrative\u201d business for many years. But more important than that, it allowed Bruce to share in the dancing catharsis of people\u2019s biggest days.<\/p>\n
Bruce, 72, retired from the weekend life in 2022, though his band remains active and he still manages its schedule. Today, the Cherry Hill resident plays at local venues, mainly jazz, which got him into music in the first place.<\/p>\n
On Father\u2019s Day, June 21, he will play a show at FringeArts on the Delaware River Waterfront featuring his new album, \u201cFor Dreamers and Their Dreams.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been singing since I was a little kid, since I was 11 years old, synagogue talent shows, nightclubs that had talent shows during the week, anywhere that would give me a mic,\u201d Bruce said. \u201cI knew what I loved. I loved to sing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bruce was born in 1954 and was a child of the 1960s, but he didn\u2019t initially take to the music of his era: rock and roll. Instead, he preferred jazz.<\/p>\n
Early in his adult life, Bruce played jazz shows at hotels and other venues in Philadelphia. During this time, he connected with a friend who had a wedding band and started playing affairs, including bar and bat mitzvahs.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I ended up doing that for 46 years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For those four-plus decades, Bruce played more than 100 events a year. He conditioned his band to go for four hours straight without really stopping. He learned all the hit music of the era he was playing in, but he also belted out tunes for the older generations in attendance.<\/p>\n
Some crowds were ready to let loose when they walked in the door; others needed time and perhaps a little urging to get near the dance floor. Bruce learned the art of determining whether he just needed to play or both play and prod.<\/p>\n
Since he provided the musical energy for people\u2019s most important days, he couldn\u2019t have an off night; in order to do this job, he had to love it, and he did.<\/p>\n
He got frequent reminders of just how meaningful his work was to Jews in the community. They would often hug him at the end of parties and say, \u201cThis is what we dreamed of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Families also would have him back for two or three b\u2019nai mitzvahs, and then their children\u2019s weddings later in life. Bruce would also run into people in the community who would tell him that the wedding he played was the best they had attended.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou become part of their family,\u201d Bruce said.<\/p>\n
But to do so, he had to leave his own, at least on the weekend. Bruce often played three to four shows between Friday and Sunday evening, so he couldn\u2019t spend much time with his kids. He got time with family and friends during the week, but had to work on the weekends.<\/p>\n
Bruce accepted this because business was good. But the job also just gave him a certain feeling.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d go to battle every Saturday night for four hours, and the moment when there are 200 screaming people on the dance floor who want one more song, that moment is something you can\u2019t put a monetary value on. It\u2019s special,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bruce was still chasing this feeling in his late 60s. But in 2022, his daughter was getting married, and she wanted his band to play at her wedding. Bruce told her that he wasn\u2019t going to work at her wedding.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m the father of the bride!\u201d he told her.<\/p>\n
His daughter asked if EBE could play without him. It was not something he had considered before, but he added a singer to replace himself, came to the wedding, watched his own band play and walked away impressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey did an amazing job,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was sort of a revelatory moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bruce played out the rest of the year and then retired.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a young man\u2019s game,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bruce didn\u2019t just play Jewish events, but he credited the Jewish community with launching and sustaining his career.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey know how to party. They know how to dance. And we used to start every party as hot as can be. A lot of people who weren\u2019t Jewish didn\u2019t understand that a party could start like that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n