Springsteen surprises benefit crowd

NEW YORK, April 6 (UPI) -- The audience at a New York benefit for young musicians went home with an unexpected memory when rocker Bruce Springsteen gave a surprise performance.

The entertainment for the Music For Youth gala Thursday at Carnegie Hall was to have been 20 artists paying tribute to the Boss' music.

But Springsteen appeared on stage after the final performer, causing the crowd to burst into applause, Billboard said Friday.

After sharing some thoughts about how "lovely and harrowing" it was to have his songs performed by others, he played an acoustic guitar and harmonica version of "The Promised Land." He followed up with "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)," which he interrupted to talk to the audience about his career before eventually bringing all the performers back on stage to help finish the song.

Among the tribute singers at the event, which raised about $100,000, were Odetta, Steve Earle, Ronnie Spector and Patti Smith.