Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey, one of three children of Douglas and Adele Springsteen. He grew up in Freehold Borough, New Jersey, and his father was a bus driver of Dutch and Irish ancestry and his mother, an Italian-American legal secretary. He decided on a career in music when he saw his idol, Elvis Presley, on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” He bought his first guitar at the age of thirteen for $18.00. His mother took out a loan for her son to buy a $60 dollar Kent guitar when he was 16 and this event was memorialized in his song, “The Wish.” He became the lead guitarist and singer in a local band called “The Castilles,” and they performed in a variety of venues throughout New Jersey and in Greenwich Village, New York.
Bruce began his recording career back in 1973 with the E Street Band. Members included many of his friends from New Jersey, including guitarist, Steven Van Zandt. He had signed a record deal with Columbia Records the year before, which had also signed Bob Dylan 10 tears earlier. His debut album, “Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ”, established him as a favorite, even though sales were slow. His music was lyric-heavy, New Jersey lauded and folk –rock rooted, and critics often compared it to that of Bob Dylan in the early days of his recording career.
His second album was released later in 1973. “The Wild, The Innocent And The E Street Shuffle” netted little profit but received much acclaim. His big break came in 1974, when music critic, John Landau became Springsteen’s manager. He helped him launch an epic album the result of which was “Born To Run.” Springsteen is probably best known for the multi-million selling “Born In The USA” (1984) and the highly successful world tour that followed its release. A multiple Grammy Award winner, Springsteen also won an Academy Award in 1993 for his song, “Streets of Philadelphia.” He has become an advocate of many fine causes, including his presence at a benefit for 9/11/01 victims and the revitalization of Asbury Park.
Springsteen has been married twice and is the father of three children. His career seems unstoppable. May his star burn bright for many years to come.
Yea, Bruce!