Steve Earle and Bruce Springsteen led a star cast at John Henry’s annual benefit concert in New York City.

Earle’s fundraising event will help raise money for Keswell School in New York City, an educational program helping children and young adults with autism.

To kick off the evening, Bruce Springsteen, his Telecaster in tow, borrowed Earle’s Dukes for a set of four songs, including “Darkness on the Edge of Town”, “The Promised Land” and Born in the United States hit “Glory Days”, featuring Nile on guitar and backing vocals, before embarking on her 1984 b-side “Pink Cadillac” with Earle sharing the vocals with The Boss.

The show marked the first time Springsteen had performed with an electric guitar since touring The River, with the E Street Band, which ran from 2016 to 2017 in support of Springsteen’s 2015 The ties that unite: the River collection Springsteen 1980 album box set and 35th anniversary River.

Throughout the evening, Earle invited other special guests including Rosanne Cash, Willie Nile, The Mastersons and Matt Savage, who all performed individual sets. Earle & The Dukes also performed, performing “Guitar Town”, “Copperhead Road”, “Someday” and “The Galway Girl” in addition to the new song “If I Could See Your Face Again”, taken from their 20th album with The Ducs, Ghosts of West Virginia (2020). The band closed their set with their rendition of Justin Townes Earle’s “Harlem River Blues”.

Later, Springsteen joined Steve Earle & The Dukes and the rest of the band on stage for a cover of “Teach Your Children Well” by Crosby, Stills & Nash to close the night.

The concert raised over $ 100,000 for the Keswell School.

Photos: Bruce Springsteen / Danny Clinch; Steve Earle / Shervin Lainez