The Death of Legendary Asbury Park Tarot Reader, Madame Marie

"ASBURY PARK, N.J. (AP) — The Asbury Park fortuneteller known as Madam Marie, who became a figure of rock ’n’ roll mythology thanks to Bruce Springsteen, died on Friday. She was in her mid-90s.


Her death was announced by her great-granddaughter Sally Castello.

Billing herself as a psychic reader and adviser, Marie Castello had told fortunes on the Asbury Park Boardwalk since the 1930s.

She became famous worldwide in 1973 when Bruce Springsteen paid homage to her in the song “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy).”

His lyric “Did you hear the cops finally busted Madame Marie for tellin’ fortunes better than they do” cemented her fame."


From The New York Times, July 2, 2008

Of Marie, Springsteen says on his website:

"Back in the day when I was a fixture on the Asbury Park boardwalk, I'd often stop and talk to Madam Marie as she sat on her folding chair outside the Temple of Knowledge. I'd sit across from her on the metal guard rail bordering the beach, and watched as she led the day trippers into the small back room where she would unlock a few of the mysteries of their future. She always told me mine looked pretty good - she was right. The world has lost enough mystery as it is - we need our fortunetellers. We send our condolences out to her family who've carried on her tradition. Over here on E Street, we will miss her."