Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Freehold, New Jersey. The singer/songwriter is best known for his heartland rock influence containing persuasive lyrics and melodies on several albums.
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He has held the long-existing nickname “The Boss” since the early 1960s when he took on the job to collect his band’s nightly profit and distribute it amongst his band mates.
At the young age of seven, Springsteen was inspired to become a musician after seeing rock n’ roll star Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show. By the time he turned 16, Springsteen had his very own guitar with the help of his mother. His song “The Wish” takes listeners back to that very moment in time.
His first experience with a band came at the same time, when he went to the house of Tex and Marion Vinyard known for sponsoring young bands in the town. He became the lead guitarist for the band The Castiles, and eventually the lead singer. The group recorded two original songs and played at a number of venues. Springsteen had said at an early age that he was going to make it big, and Marion Vinyard said she believed him.
From the late 60’s through early ‘71, Springsteen was touring New Jersey with Steve Van Zandt (guitarist), Danny Federici (organist) and Vini Lopez (drummer) in the band Child which was later renamed as Steel Mill. The band played in colleges across the Mid-Atlantic circuit and in some places in California.
During the next few months and years, Springsteen experimented with different band names and songwriting styles, from Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom (early-mid 1971), Sundance Blues Band (mid 1971), and the Bruce Springsteen Band (mid 1971-mid 1972).
In May of 1972, Columbia Records talent scout John Hammond finally auditioned Springsteen who was 23 at the time. He signed a record deal with Columbia, bringing his New Jersey colleagues in the studio and forming The E Street Band that he currently tours with.
Springsteen brought a folk-rock sound to the mainstream entertainment stage and his first record received a great deal of positive criticism. Most of his albums were receiving a lot of critical acclaim, but they didn’t translate to commercial success.
What finally hit home with a mass audience was the five-night, 10-show run at New York’s Bottom Line club in August 1975. The show was considered one of the 50 moments that changed Rock and Roll history by Rolling Stone magazine. Springsteen finally made his mark on the Rock and Roll world. Songs like “Born to Run”, “Thunder Road”, and “Jungleland” enjoyed incredible amounts of airplay and are still considered favorites on a number of classic rock stations today. In the same week in October, Springsteen appeared on both covers of Time magazine and Newsweek.
The 80’s brought Springsteen some highs and lows. His first Top Ten single came in 1980 with “Hungry Heart” off the album The River. But he also strayed from his rock path to release Nebraska in 1982. It was an acoustic album that was as low and depressed as they come. Springsteen presented a stark picture of American life with this album, and many reported that he must’ve been depressed during the creation of this album. As far as fans go, the album wasn’t that great, but Rolling Stone named it Album of the Year by the magazine’s critics. It was said that Nebraska influenced U2’s The Joshua Tree.
Springsteen’s most widely known album is his 1984 album Born in the U.S.A. which sold around 15 million copies in the U.S. alone. Seven of the singles on this album hit the Top 10 list and sparked a successful world tour.
Springsteen’s music represents the everyday struggles of American men and women in today’s ever-changing world. His lyrics reference progressive politics and his support for the rebuilding efforts in New Jersey and the September 11, 2001 terroist attacks, noted in the song "The Rising" .
Over the years, Bruce Springsteen has had a lot going for him. He has won over 25 awards throughout his musical career, he is active in the political environment and he is one of the few major names from the 1975 musical era to still be touring today. Springsteen has enjoyed many successes during his lifetime, which makes him one of those incredible artists that you can’t miss. For more information on Bruce Springsteen's accomplishments, check out our Awards page to find out all that he has acheived during his musical career!