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Bruce Springsteen

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Bruce Springsteen
Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage

Bruce Springsteen was born of Irish-Italian ancestry on September 23, 1949, in Freehold, New Jersey, the son of Douglas and Adele Springsteen. Freehold during his whole career would be a significant symbol of his musical work, writing about the everyday life and ordinary people from his hometown, representing the average American town and its ordinary, ‘real’ people.

Springsteen grew up hearing fellow New Jersey singer Frank Sinatra on the radio. He found inspiration in music when he saw Elvis Presley on The Ed Sullivan Show at the age of seven. He bought his first guitar at 13, and after witnessing The Beatles performing on Ed Sullivan, Springsteen has stated that he ‘locked himself up in his room for many months trying to learn how to play’. After his first paid gigs in The Rogues he joined The Beatles-influenced Castiles and began playing gigs in New Jersey and New York, and headlined in Café Wha? in Greenwich Village.

Called for conscription in the United States Armed Forces when he was 18, Springsteen failed the physical examination and did not serve in the Vietnam War. He had suffered a concussion in a motorcycle accident when he was 17, and this together with his ‘crazy’ behaviour at induction gave him a classification of 4F (unfit for military service) which made him unacceptable for service.

Springsteen’s next group was Earth, a Cream-style power trio. Then while in college, Springsteen formed Child with some local musicians, including drummer Vini ‘Mad Dog’ Lopez and keyboardist Danny Federici (re-named Steel Mill). The group was later joined by guitarist Steve Van Zandt. Springsteen disbanded Steel Mill in early 1971. Other acts followed over the next two years; Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom with Southside Johnny on harmonica (early to mid-1971), The Sundance Blues Band (mid-1971), and the Bruce Springsteen Band (mid-1971 to mid-1972). With the addition of pianist David Sancious, the core of what would later become the E Street Band was formed, with occasional temporary additions such as horn sections, the Zoomettes (a group of female backing vocalists for Dr. Zoom).

Springsteen had also been playing solo shows in New York City in the beginning of the Seventies and during this time met his first manager, Mike Appel, who arranged an audition for legendary Columbia Records talent scout John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan to Columbia. When John Hammond auditioned Bruce Springsteen in his office in 1972, hearing some original songs only on guitar and piano, his response was simply ‘You’ve got to be on Columbia Records’.

Springsteen gathered his previous back up band for the recording of his debut album Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. released in 1973. The album was well received but sales were disappointing (initially selling about 25,000 copies). Like Dylan, Bruce Springsteen remains at Columbia to this day, and his recordings must rank as among the most exciting spectacles in the living fabric of American culture. When Springsteen then decided to use a tenor saxophone on the songs ‘Blinded by the Light’ and ‘Spirit in the Night,’ he called upon Clarence Clemons (who he had previously met in September 1971).

British act Manfred Mann’s Earth Band would take the lead off track, ‘Blinded by the Light’, from Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. into a number-one hit in 1976. Springsteen’s second album The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle released in September 1973 also failed to sell despite very good reviews. The album includes the song ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight),’ the band’s most-used set-closing song for the first ten years of its career.

Born to Run, the songwriter’s third, was his make or break album. The massive Phil Spector sound on almost every song on Born to Run touched on the central mythical image of the rock ‘n’ roll era – Springsteen has said that he wanted Born to Run to sound like ‘Roy Orbison singing Bob Dylan, produced by Spector’. It took Bruce and his band months in total to record the title track, with versions including string section overdubs, a choir on the chorus and one with a double-tracked lead vocal. Bruce’s friend, guitarist Steve Van Zandt, a veteran of early Springsteen bands and who joined the E Street Band during the album sessions, now laughs at the thought of it. ‘Anytime you spend six months on a song, there’s something not exactly going right. A song should take about three hours.’

Born to Run was released in 1975. Advance sales put the album on the chart a week before its release date, and it made the Top Ten shortly afterward going gold in a matter of weeks, cementing Springsteen’s success for many years ahead. ‘Born to Run’ gave Springsteen his first hit single and as he embarked on his first national tour Time and Newsweek ran simultaneous cover stories on Springsteen. Springsteen bought a 1950 Corvette with his first royalty cheque from ‘Born to Run’, the first car he ever owned, it now resides in a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall Of Fame exhibition.

Despite this breakthrough, Springsteen was unable to follow up his ground breaking third album due to legal disputes with former manager Appel. He brought in rock critic Jon Landau as his new manager but was unable to record new material until the dispute was settled. During this period he wrote ‘Because the Night’ with American singer-songwriter, poet Patti Smith, which became a Top hit for her in the spring of 1978 while The Pointer Sisters hit number two in 1979 with Springsteen’s unreleased track ‘Fire’.

Darkness on the Edge of Town (which had the working title American Madness) saw Springsteen’s return in June 1978. The album marked the end of a three-year gap between albums. His ‘Heartland’ soul rock sound with a social undertone and positive reviews helped put Springsteen back on top with the album spending 97 weeks on the US chart.

In March 1979 Springsteen attended a Ramones show in Asbury Park, New Jersey and met Joey Ramone who asked him to write a song for the band. Springsteen composed ‘Hungry Heart’ that night, but decided to keep it for himself on the advice of his producer and manager, Jon Landau. When released ‘Hungry Heart’ gave Springsteen his first Top Ten hit. The track was also used in the Tom Cruise movie Risky Business, the first time a Springsteen song was used in a film.

Springsteen fully consolidated his status with his following release and Springsteen’s only double album, The River, in October 1980. The album was Springsteen’s first to go number one on the Billboard chart and spent four weeks at the top – going on to sell over five million copies worldwide.

Nebraska, released on 30 September, 1982 was a stripped down acoustic solo album. Recorded on a four-track machine at his home it marked a major turn for the rock icon. The music captured on the record is what he originally recorded as demos on acoustic guitar and harmonica in January 1982. Because of the album’s sombre content, Springsteen chose not to tour in support of the album, making it Springsteen’s only major release that was not supported by going out on the road.

Born in the U.S.A. released on 4 June, 1984 became Springsteen’s most successful album ever, with seven Top 10 hits (‘Dancing in the Dark’, ‘Cover Me’, ‘Born in the U.S.A’, ‘I’m on Fire’, ‘Glory Days’, ‘I’m Goin’ Down’ and ‘My Hometown’) and became one of the highest-selling records ever, having sold 30 million copies by 2012. The album received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 1985 Grammy Awards.

Born in the U.S.A. arrived at a time when American politicians with Ronald Reagan as their leader wanted to create a new form of patriotism after the war and tragedies in Vietnam. However, ‘Born in the U.S.A.’ was in part a tribute to Springsteen’s friends who had experienced the Vietnam War, some of whom did not come back and addresses the harmful effects of the War.

In 1984 Springsteen met model and actress Julianne Phillips, and the couple married in May 1985. The marriage quickly began to fall apart, however, and Springsteen began an affair with E Street Band backup singer Patti Scialfa, who shared his working-class New Jersey background. Phillips filed for divorce in 1989. Springsteen moved in with Scialfa and they had two children together before officially marrying in 1991. Their third and last child was born in 1994.

His eighth studio album Tunnel of Love released in October 1987 saw Springsteen record some of his most personal songs and playing most of the parts himself, often with drum machines and synthesizers. The album went triple Platinum in the US, with ‘Brilliant Disguise’ being one of his biggest hit singles.

Springsteen dissolved The E Street Band in 1989 and worked on the two albums Human Touch and Lucky Town, released simultaneously in 1992. He also wrote the title song for the Jonathan Demme film Philadelphia (1993), one of the first bigger Hollywood productions about AIDS. The song ‘Streets of Philadelphia’ won the Best Original Song Academy Award that year, and Springsteen became the first rock artist to win an Oscar in this category.

The 1995 album The Ghost of Tom Joad became Springsteen’s second acoustic album and won the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. The character of Tom Joad entered the American consciousness in John Steinbeck’s 1939 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Grapes of Wrath, set against the economic hardships of the Great Depression.

The four disc box set Tracks, a career-spanning collection that included 56 previously unreleased recordings a number of single B-sides, as well as demos and alternate versions of already-released material released in 1998 became the first box set ever to debut at number-one on the charts.

Springsteen’s twelfth studio album The Rising released in July 2002 debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was his first with the E Street Band in 18 years and is widely believed to have been based on Springsteen’s reflections during the aftermath of the 11 September, 2001 attacks. Springsteen told journalist Mark Binelli that a stranger in a car had stopped next to him, rolled down his window and said: ‘We need you now.’ The Rising is predominantly based upon themes of relationship struggles, existential crisis and social uplift. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Album in 2003.

His third acoustic album the 2005 Devils & Dust contained twelve songs of assorted vintage and a narrative setting (Springsteen wrote the title song in 2003, after the start of the Iraq War) became his seventh number one on the US Billboard album chart. He received five Grammy Award nominations for this work, three for the song ‘Devils & Dust’, Song of the Year, Best Rock Song, and Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance, and two for the album as a whole.

The 2006 We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Folk Album at the 49th Grammy Awards. The first and so far only album of entirely non-Springsteen material contains his interpretation of thirteen folk music songs made popular by activist folk musician Pete Seeger.

In 2008 keyboardist Danny Federici who had followed the band and forged its sound since the beginnings passed away of melanoma aged 58. After his illness was diagnosed he set up the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund to raise money for research at the Sloan-Kettering hospital in New York City. On the news of his death Springsteen said: ‘He was the most wonderfully fluid keyboard player and a pure, natural musician. I loved him very much.’

Magic his fifteenth studio album released in September 2007 was his first with The E Street Band since 2002. It became Springsteen’s seventh number-one in the UK and eighth in the US. Magic was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album but lost to the Foo Fighters’ Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace and the album ranked number two on Rolling Stone’s list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007.

2009 saw the release of Working on a Dream the last to feature new work of founding E Street Band member Danny Federici. The album reached number-one in 17 countries around the world, and reached the Top 10 almost everywhere else. Later in November 2014, Springsteen released a graphic novel titled Outlaw Pete, which is based on the opening track from Working on a Dream.

In June 2011 another founding member, Clarence Clemons, whose saxophone sound had followed Springsteen since day one and created his particular rock groove suffered a stroke and died a few days later. Clemons had been a strong pillar in the E Street sound playing an essential role in Springsteen’s songs, particularly in the first years on ‘Jungleland,’ ‘Incident on 57th Street’ and ‘Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)’. The Big Man, who stood at 6 feet 4 inches tall and built like the football player he might have been was by far the E Street Band’s ashiest dresser, in eye-popping suits and broad- brimmed hats.

The 2012 album Wrecking Ball was named best album of 2012 by Rolling Stone and along with the album’s first single, ‘We Take Care of Our Own’, was nominated for three Grammy Awards. Wrecking Ball became Springsteen’s tenth number one album in the US, tying him with Elvis Presley for third-most number-one albums of all-time.

Springsteen’s eighteenth studio album High Hopes features Springsteen’s regular backing band, The E Street Band, plusRage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello. Contributions from deceased E Street Band members Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici are also included. High Hopes became his eleventh US number-one placing him third all-time for most number one albums only behind The Beatles and Jay-Z. Rolling Stone named it the second-best album of 2014 on their year-end list.

Western Stars became his nineteenth studio release, produced again by Ron Aniello. Springsteen stated that the album was influenced by “Southern California pop music” of the 1970s, including artists such as Glen Campbell and Burt Bacharach.

To date Springsteen has released 19 studio albums, 70 singles, 8 extended plays, 23 live albums, 7 box sets, 8 compilation albums, 57 music videos and 17 home videos. Worldwide albums sales stand at over 122 million.

Important Dates In The Life Of Bruce Springsteen:

On this day in music
23 May 2024
Sir Paul McCartney affectionately mocked Bruce Springsteen, as he presented him with a prestigious prize at the Ivor Novello Awards. Springsteen was in London, England to receive the ceremony's highest honour - a fellowship of the songwriting academy. He was the first international star to receive the award, and Sir Paul said he "couldn't think of a more fitting recipient... except maybe Bob Dylan. Or Paul Simon, or Billy Joel, or Beyoncé, or Taylor Swift" he added. "The list goes on." "He's known as the American working man," Sir Paul continued, "but he admits he’s never worked a day in his life."
8 Dec 2023
Pollstar reported that Taylor Swift's concert tour brought in about $1.04bn (£829m) in gross sales across its first 60 shows. Overall, the top 100 global tours brought in more than $9bn (£7.17bn) in 2023 in gross sales, up 46% from 2022, which had itself seen record-spending. Singer Beyoncé and Bruce Springsteen rounded out the top three concerts of the year.
22 Jun 2022
The world-famous Glastonbury Festival took place in Pilton, Somerset, England. The event was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, but returned this year. This year's festival featured its youngest-ever solo headline in Billie Eilish and Sir Paul McCartney as the oldest. McCartney was joined by Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen when he headlined the Pyramid Stage. Other acts appearing included: Diana Ross, Sam Fender, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Lorde, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Haim, Elbow and St. Vincent.
4 Nov 2020
Bruce Springsteen was at No.1 on the UK album chart with his twentieth studio album Letter to You. Since touring was not possible due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the album was promoted with an online radio station. It features three tracks originally written prior to Springsteen's 1973 debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N. J.: 'If I Was the Priest,' 'Janey Needs a Shooter' and 'Song for Orphans.' Springsteen came across earlier recordings of these songs with John Hammond while assembling a compilation album.
22 Apr 2020
At the Jersey 4 Jersey virtual benefit concert, surviving members of Fountains of Wayne reunited with Sharon Van Etten to pay tribute to Adam Schlesinger, who died of coronavirus three weeks earlier. Bruce Springsteen also performed with his wife Patti Scialfa and played an emotional version of 'Land Of Hope And Dreams' followed by 'Jersey Girl'. Bon Jovi debuted a new song called 'Do What You Can.' The event raised nearly $6 million for coronavirus relief.
21 Sep 2019
English musician Sam Fender was at No.1 on the UK chart with his debut studio album Hypersonic Missiles. The album drew heavy comparisons to Bruce Springsteen due to Fender's "lyricism and his vignettes of working-class struggle."
19 Jul 2018
New York State declared 'Billy Joel Day' after he became the first artist to appear 100 times at Madison Square Garden. During the landmark show Joel was joined on stage by Bruce Springsteen, for 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out' and 'Born To Run'. Joel had become a staple of Madison Square Garden, consistently selling out the 20,000-person venue as part of his concert residency which started in 2014.
23 Feb 2017
Jay Z was set to become first rapper inducted into Songwriters Hall of Fame. Previous inductees include Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen and Michael Jackson. But no rapper had ever made the cut before. Jay Z would be inducted as part of the hall's class of 2017 alongside Max Martin, who has written songs for Taylor Swift, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande.
30 Sep 2016
A schoolboy from Philadelphia who skipped class to meet his musical hero handed his teacher an absence note with a difference. The typewritten note was signed by Bruce Springsteen. Fifth-grader Michael Fenerty met the star at a "meet-and-greet" in the Free Library of Philadelphia when Springsteen was in town signing copies of his new autobiography, Born to Run.
6 Sep 2016
Barbra Streisand extended her US chart record after she scored her 11th US No.1 album with her Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway. The star had already notched up more chart toppers than any other female artist, and now extends her lead over Madonna, who has eight. She also overtook Elvis Presley, who has 10, to tie with Bruce Springsteen.
7 Apr 2016
Bruce Springsteen cancelled a concert in North Carolina, joining business groups in condemning a state law that rolled back protection for gay and transgender people. In a statement Springsteen said, "Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry which is happening as I write is one of them."
3 Dec 2014
English keyboard instrumentalist Ian McLagan died of a stroke age 69. He was a member of Small Faces and the Faces and also worked with many other artists including with The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Joe Cocker, Billy Bragg, Jackson Browne, Chuck Berry and Bruce Springsteen.
7 Nov 2014
Two wealthy fans paid $300,000 to eat lasagne with Bruce Springsteen at his house. Springsteen started off the annual Stand Up For Heroes event by playing an acoustic set, then offering the instrument to the highest bidder. When bidding reached $60,000, he threw in a guitar lesson, which someone offered $250,000 for. At this point, he offered up a lasagne dinner at his house, a ride around the block in the sidecar of his motorbike and the shirt off of his back. All the money went to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which helps injured servicemen and their families when they return home.
27 Oct 2014
The Last Ship, Sting's musical about shipbuilding in north-east England, opened on Broadway. The former frontman with The Police described watching the opening night as "an out-of-body experience". Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Blondie's Deborah Harry were among the first night audience at the Neil Simon Theatre.
3 Feb 2014
Bruce Springsteen was at No.1 on the US chart with his eighteenth studio album High Hopes. His eleventh No.1 album in the US, placed him third all-time for most No. 1 albums only behind The The Beatles and Jay-Z. The album is a collection of cover songs, out-takes and re-imagined versions of tracks from past albums, EPs and tours.
19 Jan 2014
Bruce Springsteen scored his 10th UK No.1 album with High Hopes, putting him ahead of the likes of Abba, David Bowie and Michael Jackson. The achievement puts him on level pegging with The Rolling Stones and U2, who also have 10 UK No.1's. The Beatles lead the way, with 15, followed by Madonna on 12, while Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams both had 11 each.
9 Jan 2014
Rolling Stone magazine published their Readers Poll: The 10 Greatest Double Albums of All Time. The top 5 were: Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti, Bruce Springsteen, The River, The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main Street, Pink Floyd, The Wall, and winning the poll was The Beatles, with their ninth studio album and only double album released in November 1968 The White Album.
28 Jun 2013
Coldplay's 2011 headline appearance on the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage was voted the top Glastonbury moment by BBC Radio listeners. Radiohead and Blur's 2009 Pyramid Stage appearances polled second and third respectively, with Bruce Springsteen's performance of Thunder Road in 2009 coming fourth.
19 Dec 2012
Madonna's MDNA World Tour made more money than any other during 2012. The tour grossed $228m (£141m), after more than 1.6 million fans paid to see her perform in 65 cities worldwide since last June. She beat Bruce Springsteen into first place on the highest-grossing tour list, who earned $198 million (£123 million). Also in the top 25 were Coldplay, who took fifth place, and Lady Gaga at number six, who attracted audiences reaching 1.1 million people in comparison.
12 Dec 2012
The Rolling Stones, The Who, Michael Stipe, Chris Martin, Bruce Springsteen and Roger Waters played at Madison Square Garden and raised over $30m (£18.6m) at a benefit gig in New York for those affected by superstorm Sandy which had caused the deaths of 120 people when it hit the Caribbean and US in October of this year. The surviving members of Nirvana, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, also joined Sir Paul McCartney on stage to perform.
31 Jul 2012
Appearing at the Helsinki Olympiastadionin Finland, at the end of a European tour, Bruce Springsteen played his longest show ever - 4 hours and 6 minutes.
13 Jul 2012
Roger Waters' tour The Wall Live, topped worldwide concert ticket sales for the first half of 2012. The show based Pink Floyd's hit 1970s album, took $158.1m (£102.3m) beating Bruce Springsteen and Madonna. Waters sold 1.4 million tickets according to Pollstar magazine, which tracks the live concert business.
12 Jul 2012
Pollstar magazine announced that former Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters had grossed up $158.1 million in concert ticket sales worldwide so far this year with The Wall Live show. Bruce Springsteen came in second place with $79.9 million.
26 Jun 2012
Hundreds of fans were set to miss The Stone Roses' reunion concerts in Manchester this weekend, after websites took their money, but failed to deliver tickets. Two sites, Aossatickets.com and theticketwebsite.net, who had sold tickets had since disappeared. Several major tours had been targeted by ticket fraudsters in recent years, with fans of Take That, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and Michael Buble among those who found themselves out of pocket.
22 Jun 2012
MP Andrew Turner called for a review of procedures after thousands of rock fans were delayed for hours heading to the Isle of Wight Festival. After heavy rain cars were unable to park on waterlogged fields - leading to gridlock as about 55,000 people headed to the site. Some fans were stuck in traffic for up to 16 hours on the way to the festival. Elbow, Lana Del Rey, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam all appeared at this year's festival.
17 Jun 2012
Bruce Springsteen played his longest show when he turned in a three-hour-and-48-minute, 32-song, set at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. (This surpassed the previously longest show, Dec. 31, 1980 at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, New York, which clocked in at 3:43).
25 Nov 2011
Don DeVito, a longtime Columbia Records executive who produced the key Bob Dylan albums Blood on the Tracks and Desire died aged 72 after a 16-year battle with prostate cancer. DeVito had also worked with artists including Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. DeVito started off as a guitarist touring for Al Kooper, and had his own band, The Sabres, which later broke up mid-tour. According to Columbia, DeVito was stranded in Fort Smith, Ark., when he happened to meet Johnny Cash and developed what would become a lifelong friendship; Cash would later introduce DeVito to Dylan.
17 Jul 2011
Bruce Springsteen made a surprise appearance at a tribute to Clarence Clemons at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, N.J. The boss played a 45 minute set to an intimate crowd of 400. Clemons who died on June 18th of this year was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone with him since 1971. Springsteen and Clemons had first met at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park.
27 Feb 2010
U2 raked in more money than any other music act in the US in 2009 making $109m (£71m) from touring, record sales and other royalties, almost twice as much as the second best, Bruce Springsteen who took home $58m (£38m), followed by Madonna with $47m (£31m) and AC/DC with $44m (£29m). Coldplay were the most successful British group, at number eight, with takings of $27m (£18m).
31 Jan 2010
At the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles Taylor Swift became the youngest artist ever to receive the Album of the Year award with Fearless. The Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance went to Bruce Springsteen for Working on a Dream, Best Rock Song went to Kings of Leon for 'Use Somebody' and song of the Year went to Beyoncé for 'Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)'.
1 Feb 2009
Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Working on a Dream' his 16th studio album.
10 Dec 2008
The Associated Press reported that the US military used loud music to "create fear, disorient and prolong capture shock" for prisoners at military detention centers at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Among the songs blasted 24 hours a day were 'Born In The USA' by Bruce Springsteen, 'Hell's Bells' by AC/DC, 'White America' by Eminem, 'The Theme From Sesame Street' and 'I Love You' from the Barney and Friends children's TV show.
1 Dec 2008
Wham's Last Christmas was the most played festive track of the last five years. The Performing Right Society put the 1984 hit at the top of their chart of seasonal songs, just ahead of Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?. The Pogues came third with Fairytale of New York, recorded with the late Kirsty MacColl and first released in 1987. Other featured artists include Slade, Mariah Carey and Bruce Springsteen.
2 Jun 2008
American guitarist and singer Bo Diddley, (Ellas Otha Bates) died of heart failure at his home in Archer, Florida aged 79. The legendary singer and performer, was known for his homemade square guitar and his 'shave and a haircut, two bits' rhythm, which influenced artists from Buddy Holly to Bruce Springsteen The Rolling Stones and U2.
17 Apr 2008
Danny Federici, the longtime keyboard player for Bruce Springsteen and a member of The E Street Band, died of cancer at the age of 58. Federici had worked with Springsteen for over 40 years, starting with Steel Mill and Child with Springsteen.
30 Nov 2007
During a Christies Rock & Roll auction held the Rockefeller Plaza, New York City a collection of 276 ticket stubs compiled by a rock journalist who covered many rock concerts at New York City venues sold for $2,000. The tickets included concerts by: Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Rolling Stones, Frank Zappa, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Grateful Dead and Bruce Springsteen.
7 Oct 2007
Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Magic', the singer, songwriter's 15th studio album and 7th UK No.1. Also a US No.1 album.
6 Oct 2007
Bruce Springsteen was being sued for $850,000 (£415,973) by a man who claimed he backed out of a contract to buy a horse. Springsteen and his wife Patti Scialfa were both named in legal documents filed in Florida by Todd Minikus. He claimed the couple pulled out of a deal to pay $650,000 (£358,097) for a horse, named Pavarotti.
9 Sep 2005
An international conference devoted to the life, work, and influence of Bruce Springsteen was held at Monmouth University, New Jersey. The festivities included various live acts, as well as keynote addresses by rock critics and figures from the music industry. More than 150 papers were presented to the course including Springsteen and American Folklore, Springsteen and Dylan's American Dreamscapes, Springsteen's Musical Legacy, Born to Run at 30-Years-Old, Springsteen and New Jersey and the Boss and the Bible.
8 May 2005
Bruce Springsteen was at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Devils and Dust' his 13th No.1 studio album.
6 May 2005
US coffee shop chain Starbucks banned the sale of Bruce Springsteen's latest album Devils and Dust over concerns about its adult content. The retailer - which stocked CDs at its branches in the US - said it would be promoting other albums instead.
1 May 2005
Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Devils & Dust' the American singer songwriters sixth UK No.1.
25 Feb 2004
The Rolling Stones topped a US Rich List of music's biggest money makers. The list was based on earnings during 2003 when the band played their 'Forty Licks' tour, which made them $212 million, (£124.7m) in ticket, CD, DVD and merchandise sales. The three million fans who went to the shows spent an average of $11 (£6.47) each on merchandise. Bruce Springsteen was listed in second place and the Eagles in third.
21 Jan 2004
As the third season of American Idol was aired on US TV a memo was leaked showing a list of songs banned from being performed at this year's auditions that included, Elton John's 'Candle In The Wind' and 'Fallin' by Alicia Keys. Also all songs by Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, No Doubt, R. Kelly, Tom Petty, Korn and Linkin Park were not allowed after concerns over the cost of securing rights for the song's use, (or the composers not wanting their song's to be performed on the show).
23 Feb 2003
Norah Jones cleaned up at the 45th Grammy Awards, held at Madison Square Garden, New York. The singer and songwriter won, Album of the Year and Record of the Year, with 'Don't Know Why.' Song of the year, Best new artist and Best female pop vocal for 'Don't Know Why'. Other winners included Best male pop vocal, John Mayer, 'Our Body Is A Wonderland'. Best male rock vocal, Bruce Springsteen, 'The Rising', Best female rock vocal, Sheryl Crow, 'Steve McQueen', Best rock performance by group, Coldplay 'In My Place', Best rap album, Eminem, 'The Eminem Show'.
11 Aug 2002
Bruce Springsteen started a two week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Rising', the singer's fifth US No.1. Hailed as a triumphant return to form for Springsteen, the album won two Grammy Awards. The Rising came seven years after The Ghost of Tom Joad (1995), the longest interlude between studio albums for the artist, and was his first in almost two decades with the E Street Band.
4 Aug 2002
Bruce Springsteen scored his fifth UK No.1 album with 'The Rising', also No.1 in the US. The album is largely based on Springsteen's reflections in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks the year before and was a critical and commercial success, representing Springsteen's first album to top the US Billboard 200 since Tunnel of Love in 1987. The album won two Grammy Awards and marked the start of a successful collaboration with producer Brendan O'Brien.
22 Sep 2001
‘A Tribute to Heroes’ was aired commercial-free on most of the major US TV networks. The live program was organised to raise money following the terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and New York’s World Trade Center. Neil Young, Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Billy Joel, U2, Limp Bizkit, Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam all performed. Manning the telephones to take pledges were celebrities including Jack Nicholson, Jim Carrey, Whoopi Goldberg, Goldie Hawn, Robin Williams, Meg Ryan, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kurt Russell, Adam Sandler and many more.
10 Apr 2001
Bruce Springsteen won a court battle to keep the rights to his early songs. Ronald Winter of Masquerade Music had released the album 'Before The Fame' was found to be in breach of copyright. Springsteen was awarded more than £2m damages.
15 Mar 1999
Bruce Springsteen was inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame by U2's Bono.
10 Dec 1998
Bruce Springsteen won a £2 million court battle to ban an album of his early songs. The case revolved around a dispute over copyright ownership between Bruce and a former manager.
17 Feb 1996
A Platinum American Express card once belonging to Bruce Springsteen was sold for $4,500 (£2,650) at a New York memorabilia sale. The singer had given the expired card to a waiter in a LA restaurant by mistake and let them keep it as a souvenir.
1 Mar 1995
Bruce Springsteen's 'Streets of Philadelphia' won three Grammys for Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Song. The track was featured in the film Philadelphia (1993), an early mainstream film dealing with HIV/AIDS which stars Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.
21 Mar 1994
Bruce Springsteen won an Oscar for the song 'Streets of Philadelphia.'
5 Jun 1993
Mariah Carey married the President of Sony Music, Tommy Mottola in Manhattan, guest's included Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand and Ozzy Osbourne. (The couple separated in 1997).
26 Jul 1992
American singer and Motown artist, Mary Wells, referred to as The First Lady of Motown and who had a 1964 US No. 1 and UK No. 5 single ‘My Guy’, died aged 49 of laryngeal cancer. Wells was forced to give up her career and with no health insurance, was forced to sell her home. Wells’ old Motown friends including Diana Ross, Mary Wilson, The Temptations and Martha Reeves, along with Dionne Warwick, Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt, personally pledged donations in support.
9 May 1992
Bruce Springsteen made his North American network television debut on Saturday Night Live with host Tom Hanks.
28 Oct 1989
Janet Jackson started a four week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814'. Only one of three albums to produce seven Top-ten US singles, (the other two being Thriller by Michael Jackson and Bruce Springsteen's Born In The USA).
29 Sep 1989
While travelling on his motorbike from Los Angeles, Bruce Springsteen called in at Matt's Saloon in Prescott, Arizona and jammed with the house band. Bruce played a bunch of rock and roll classics, including Elvis Presley's 'Don’t Be Cruel,' and Chuck Berry's 'Sweet Little Sixteen' and 'Route 66.’ Bruce also donated $100,000 to a barmaid's hospital bill.
23 Jul 1989
Ringo Starr kicked off his first tour since the break-up of the Beatles with a show in Dallas. His backup band included guitarist Joe Walsh, organist Billy Preston and Bruce Springsteen's saxophonist Clarence Clemons.
2 Sep 1988
The Human Rights Now! world tour kicked off at Wembley Stadium London with Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Tracy Chapman and Youssu n'Dour. Taking in five continents and claiming to be the most ambitious rock tour in history.
30 Aug 1988
Bruce Springsteen's wife Julianne filed for a divorce after newspapers published photos of Springsteen and backing singer Patti Scialfa together.
15 Jun 1988
During Bruce Springsteen's stay in Rome during a world tour a photographer took a shot of Bruce in his underpants sharing an intimate moment with his backing singer Patti Scialfa. The picture confirmed the rumours that Bruce and Patti were having an affair.
23 Apr 1988
Roy Orbison celebrated his 52nd birthday at a Bruce Springsteen concert, during which the audience sang happy birthday to him.
7 Nov 1987
Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Tunnel Of Love.' His eighth studio album went triple platinum in the US, with 'Brilliant Disguise' being one of his biggest hit singles, peaking at No.5 on the Billboard Hot 100.
31 Oct 1987
Forbes Magazine listed the Top 40 American entertainment earners from 86-87, 8th was Whitney Houston $44 million, 7th Madonna $47 million and third place Bruce Springsteen $56 million.
19 Jul 1987
Bruce Springsteen played his first ever show behind the Iron Curtain when he appeared in East Berlin in front of 180,000 people. The show was broadcast on East German TV.
10 Jul 1987
Producer and record company executive John Hammond died. He brought Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, Leonard Cohen and Bruce Springsteen to Columbia Records. Hammond also worked as a producer with Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Count Basie.
13 Oct 1986
Neil Young headlined the first Bridge School benefit concert in support of the non-profit institution that provided education for children with verbal and physical disabilities. Young and his wife Pegi co-founded the school when their son, Ben, was born with cerebral palsy. The all-acoustic concert - featuring performances by Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and a reunited Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - turned into an annual event that adds many more big-name acts to the roster.
21 Dec 1985
Bruce Springsteen's album, Born in the USA passed Michael Jackson's Thriller to become the second longest-lasting LP on the Billboard US Top 10. It stayed there for 79 weeks. Only The Sound of Music with Julie Andrews lasted longer at 109 weeks.
13 Sep 1985
We Are The World won Best Group Video and the Viewer's Choice at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York. Don Henley's 'The Boys Of Summer' video won four trophies, including Best Video. Bruce Springsteen's 'I'm On Fire' gets the nod for Best Male Video and Tina Turner won Best Female Video for 'What's Love Got To Do With It'.
13 May 1985
Bruce Springsteen married Julianne Phillips at Lake Oswego, Oregon. Julianne filed for divorce on Aug 30th 1988.
11 May 1985
Bruce Springsteen and a small group of friends went out for a boy’s night out in Lake Oswego, Oregon, two nights before his wedding to Julianne Phillips. Drinking in the Gemini pub Springsteen sang a number of songs, karaoke-style, to his own records in the jukebox.
27 Apr 1985
USA For Africa started a three-week run at No.1 on the US chart with We Are The World. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Carnes, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.
20 Apr 1985
The charity record We Are The World by USA For Africa was at No.1 on the UK singles chart. The US artists' answer to Band Aid had an all-star cast including Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Daryl Hall, Huey Lewis, Ray Charles, Billy Joel and Paul Simon plus the composer's of the track, Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie.
16 Feb 1985
Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the UK album chart with 'Born In The USA', his first UK No.1 album. The singers seventh studio album, was the best-selling album of 1985 in the United States (and also Springsteen's most successful album ever). The album produced a record-tying string of seven Top 10 singles.
28 Jan 1985
The recording took place for We Are The World the US equivalent of Band Aid at A&M Studios in Hollywood. Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie the all star cast included Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Diana Ross, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Cyndi Lauper, Steve Perry and Bob Geldof.
5 Aug 1984
Bruce Springsteen played the first of ten nights at the Meadowlands in New Jersey to mark the homecoming of the Born in the USA Tour.
7 Jul 1984
Bruce Springsteen went to No.1 on the US album chart with 'Born In The USA'. The album went on to spend a total of 139 weeks on the US chart. Its also one of three albums (Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814) to produce seven Top-ten US singles.
30 Jun 1984
Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing In The Dark' peaked at No.2 on the US chart, the first of six singles from his seventh studio album Born In The U.S.A. which all hit the US Top 10. The video was shot at the Saint Paul Civic Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and shows Springsteen pulling a young Courteney Cox from the audience to dance along with him on the stage.
29 Jun 1984
Bruce Springsteen kicked off the first leg of his Born in the USA Tour with a three night run at the Civic Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Springsteen would play a total of 156 shows ending on October 2, 1985 in Los Angeles.
4 Jun 1984
Bruce Springsteen released the album, 'Born In The USA', which became the best-selling album of 1985 in the United States (and also Springsteen's most successful album ever). The album produced a record-tying string of seven Top 10 singles (tied with Michael Jackson's Thriller and Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814).
31 Dec 1982
Max's Kansas City in New York City closed down. The venue had been a launching pad for such artists as The New York Dolls, Bruce Springsteen and The Velvet Underground.
12 Jun 1982
Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt and Gary 'US' Bonds all appeared at a rally for nuclear disarmament in Central Park, New York to over 450,000 fans.
7 Apr 1981
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off their first full-scale tour in Hamburg, Germany. This was Springsteen's first tour outside North America, which would take in 10 countries.
1 Nov 1980
Bruce Springsteen scored his first No.1 US album with 'The River', featuring the US No.5 & UK No.44 single 'Hungry Heart.'
19 Sep 1979
The No Nukes concert was held at New York's Madison Square Garden. Performers included Stephen Stills, David Crosby, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, The Doobie Brothers, Poco, Tom Petty, Carly Simon, James Taylor and Bruce Springsteen.
23 May 1978
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band kicked off their 117 show Darkness Tour at Shea's Buffalo, in Buffalo, New York.
19 Feb 1977
Manfred Mann's Earth Band scored a No.1 single in the US with their version of the Bruce Springsteen song 'Blinded By The Light.' The track was the first single from Springsteen's 1973 debut album Greetings from Asbury Park N.J. The Earth Band's version features several changed lyrics. The most prominent change is in the chorus, where Springsteen's "cut loose like a deuce" is replaced with "revved up like a deuce." Springsteen himself has said that it was not until Manfred Mann rewrote the song to be about a "feminine hygiene product" that it became popular.
27 Jul 1976
Bruce Springsteen sued his manager Mike Appel for fraud and breach of trust. The case dragged on for over a year, halting Springsteen's career. An out of court settlement was reached the following year.
29 Apr 1976
After a gig in Memphis Bruce Springsteen took a cab to Elvis Presley's Graceland home and proceeded to climb over the wall. A guard took him to be another crank fan and apprehended him.
28 Apr 1976
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band appeared at the Grand Ole Opry at the Opryland USA theme park in Nashville, the first time a rock band has played the Opry since The Byrds in 1968.
18 Nov 1975
Bruce Springsteen made his live debut in the UK at London's Hammersmith Odeon. The set list included: Thunder Road, 10th Avenue Freeze-out, Born To Run The 'E' Street Shuffle, Jungleland, 4th of July, Asbury Park, Detroit Medley, For You and Quarter To Three.
27 Oct 1975
After releasing the single and album Born to Run, Bruce Springsteen had the rare honour of simultaneous covers on both Time and Newsweek magazines in the US.
25 Aug 1975
Bruce Springsteen released his third studio album Born to Run. The album peaked at No.3 on the Billboard chart eventually selling six million copies in the United States and has since been considered by critics to be one of the greatest albums in popular music. Two singles were released from the album: 'Born to Run' and 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out'; the first helped Springsteen to reach mainstream popularity.
20 Jul 1975
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the opening night on their Born To Run Tour at The Palace Theatre, Providence, Rhode Island. This also saw the live debut of Steven Van Zandt, (Miami Steve) as a member of The E Street Band.
3 Aug 1974
Anne Murray appeared at The Schaefer Festival in New York as the headlining act. The opening act was Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
30 Jul 1974
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played The Troubadour in Los Angeles, California on a double bill with Roger McGuinn from The Byrds.
13 Jul 1974
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played the first of a three night, six show residency at the newly-opened Bottom Line in New York City. The shows received rave reviews and created a buzz in the music industry.
9 May 1974
Bonnie Raitt played two shows at Harvard Square Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts; opening act was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Rolling Stone critic John Landau saw Springsteen and wrote 'I have seen rock & roll's future and his name is Bruce Springsteen'.
27 Apr 1974
A free afternoon event was held in the parking lot of the University of Connecticut, Ice Hockey Arena in Storrs. The four acts that appeared, Aerosmith Bruce Springsteen, Fairport Convention and Fat Back. Springsteen then went on to play another gig that evening at the University of Hartford in Connecticut.
19 Apr 1974
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band appeared at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The gig was unadvertised by its promoter, who gambled that word-of-mouth would be enough to fill the 550-seat venue, only 250 people attended. Tickets cost $4.50 and $5.50 in advance.
4 Jan 1974
Bruce Springsteen played the first of a three night run at Joes' Place in Cambridge Massachusetts. Supported by Peter Johnson & The Manic Depressives. On the ticket it stated: Because of the energy crisis all our outside lights except for one will be shut off.
14 Dec 1973
Bruce Springsteen appeared at the Pinecrest Country Club, Shelton, Connecticut. Only 200 tickets were sold for the show.
20 Aug 1973
Bruce Springsteen played the first of a seven night run at Oliver's in Boston, Massachusetts playing two 60-minute sets each night.
18 Jul 1973
Bruce Springsteen played the first of four nights at Max's Kansas City in New York City, New York, supported by Bob Marley and The Wailers who were on their first ever North American tour.
11 Apr 1973
The Beach Boys appeared at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta, Georgia. The Beach Boys were at a very low ebb in popularity in America and this show proved a financial disaster for the promoter, with less than 3,000 tickets sold for the 16,000 capacity venue. Opening act was Mothers Finest and middle of the bill was Bruce Springsteen who played a 60-minute set. Elvis Presley performed twice in the Omni and a plaque was placed on an interior wall to that effect after his death.
7 Mar 1973
During a showcase gig at Max's Kansas City, New York, CBS records boss John Hammond suffered a heart attack. The event was to mark the signing of his new act Bruce Springsteen.
16 Jan 1973
Bruce Springsteen appeared at Villanova University, Philadelphia, to an audience of 25 people. Due to a strike at the time by Villanova's school newspaper The Villanovan, this concert went unadvertised, so this is probably the smallest crowd Bruce and The E Street Band have ever played in front of.
5 Jan 1973
Bruce Springsteen released his debut album 'Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.' Recorded in a single week the album only sold about 25,000 copies in the first year of its release. Both 'Blinded By The Light' and 'Spirit In The Night' were released as singles but neither made a dent in the charts. Manfred Mann's Earth Band later released a version of 'Blinded By The Light' on their album 'The Roaring Silence,' which reached No.1 on the US charts in 1977.
13 Jul 1972
During a North American tour The Rolling Stones played the first of two nights at the Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan. The Doors, Aerosmith, Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Bruce Springsteen and Kiss have all appeared here.
9 Jun 1972
Bruce Springsteen signed with Columbia Records and started to assemble the E Street Band from various Asbury Park ex-band mates.
2 May 1972
Bruce Springsteen auditioned for CBS Records A&R man John Hammond in New York. Springsteen played a short set for him in his office; Hammond was so impressed that he arranged a real audition that night at the Gaslight Club in New York for other Columbia executives. Bruce passed the audition.
14 Sep 1971
During a US tour Led Zeppelin appeared at Berkley Community Theatre, Berkley, California. Countless major acts have appeared here, including Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Van Morrison, The Kinks,  Bruce Springsteen, Genesis, Elvis Costello, The Clash, Iggy Pop and David Bowie.
11 Jul 1971
The Bruce Springsteen Band opened for Humble Pie at the Sunshine In, Asbury Park in New Jersey. After the show an impressed Peter Frampton from Humble Pie, tells Springsteen and the band he'd like to have them open for them on a national basis. Frampton also said he would be happy to get the band an audition with his record label, A & M Records. For no logical reason Springsteen’s manager Tinker West declined both offers on the spot.
27 Mar 1971
Bruce Springsteen & Friendly Enemies opened for The Allman Brothers Band at the Sunshine In, Asbury Park in New Jersey, tickets cost $4.00. Springsteen had just disbanded his group Steel Mill and within a few weeks would form Dr Zoom & The Sonic Boom with Steve Van Zandt.
23 Jan 1971
Steel Mill played their final show when they appeared at the Upstage Club, Asbury Park, New Jersey. Singer Bruce Springsteen formed new bands during the rest of the year known under such names as the Bruce Springsteen Jam, Dr. Zoom and the Sonic Boom, and finally the Bruce Springsteen Band.
27 Nov 1970
Black Sabbath, Cactus and Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) all appeared at the Sunshine In, Asbury Park in New Jersey. All three acts played two shows, tickets cost $5.00.
13 Jun 1970
Grand Funk Railroad, supported by Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) appeared at the Ocean Ice Palace in Bricktown, New Jersey, tickets $5.00.
18 Apr 1970
Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played in the Main Gym at Ocean County College in New Jersey. Tickets cost $2.00.
22 Jan 1970
Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) opened for The Elvin Bishop Band at The Matrix in San Francisco, California. Steel Mill were paid only $5 for the gig, The Elvin Bishop Band received $90 as headliner.
13 Jan 1970
Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) played at The Matrix in San Francisco, California. Boz Scaggs was the scheduled headliner but he cancelled at that last minute due to illness. Rock critic Philip Elwood, who turned up intending to review Scaggs ended up writing a highly favorable review of Steel Mill for The San Francisco Examiner.
22 Nov 1969
Iron Butterfly supported by Steel Mill, (featuring Bruce Springsteen) appeared at the Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia. The gig was held in the school's 3,500- seat Crenshaw Gymnasium.
16 Aug 1969
During a North American tour Led Zeppelin appeared at the Convention Hall in Asbury Park with Joe Cocker as support. Zeppelin had been asked to perform at Woodstock but due to this gig commitment were unable to attend. And down the road Bruce Springsteen's band Child played the first of two shows over two days at the Student Prince, Ashbury Park. Springsteen was also unable to attend Woodstock due to these gigs.
2 Apr 1969
Bruce Springsteen's new group Child made their live debut at the Pandemonium Club in Wanamassa, New Jersey.
20 Jan 1969
Bruce Springsteen had two of his poems published in the Ocean County College Literary Yearbook Seascapes. Springsteen was in his second semester at the Toms River, New Jersey College.
28 Sep 1968
Bruce Springsteen and a local folk rock group The Founders appeared at the Off Broad Street Coffee House in Red Bank, New Jersey.
16 Aug 1968
Bruce Springsteen's new band Earth made their live debut at the Off Broad Street Coffee House in Red Bank, New Jersey, admission was 75c. The lineup of the group consisted of Springsteen (guitars & vocals), John Graham (bass), Michael Burke (drums) and ‘Flash Craig’ (organ). The group only had a 6-month existence.
6 Jun 1968
Screaming Lord Sutch appeared at the Freehold Hullabaloo in Freehold, New Jersey, (Sutch was touring the East Coast in a old custom-painted Rolls Royce ‘hearse’). Support band was The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals).
24 Aug 1967
17-year old singer and guitarist Bruce Springsteen joined a group called Earth.
14 Aug 1966
Little Anthony & The Imperials, The Shadows and The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) all appeared at the Surf ‘n See Club in Seabright New Jersey.
10 Jul 1966
Johnny Tilotson, The Jive Five, The Tymes, The Shangra-Las and local band The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) all appeared at the Surf 'n See Club in Seabright New Jersey.
21 May 1966
The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals) appeared at Freehold Regional High School in New Jersey. They were performing at their own high school for the very first time. All five members of the band were Juniors at Freehold High School.
18 May 1966
The Castiles (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals), made their first recordings at Mr Music Inc in Brick Town, New Jersey. They cut two Springsteen songs, ‘Baby I’ and ‘That’s What You Get’. The songs were cut directly to disc, of which seven or eight test pressings of the studio takes were made.
22 Apr 1966
Two dozen local group's appeared at a ‘battle of the bands’ gig in Matawan Keyport Roller Drome in New Jersey. All acts performed three songs each. The Rogues won first place, second was Sonny & The Starfires, and third place went to The Castiles, (with Bruce Springsteen on vocals). The three winners were given an opportunity to perform at the Roller Drome the following week as part of a major concert headlined by The Crystals.
13 Nov 1965
The Castiles, which featured a young singer called Bruce Springsteen appeared at The Fire House, Hazlet, New Jersey. The night was billed as a Teenage Go, Go Dance.
8 Oct 1965
The Florescents supported by The Castiles, which featured a young singer called Bruce Springsteen appeared at the I.B. Club in Howell, New Jersey. This was The Castiles first publicly advertised nightclub appearance. Admission was $1.00.
26 Jun 1961
Gary U.S. Bonds started a two-week run at No.1 on the US charts with 'Quarter To Three', a No.7 hit in the UK. Before Bonds recorded this, it was an instrumental by The Church Street Five called 'A Night With Daddy G.' Bond's manager added lyrics to it and had him record it. This is often covered by Bruce Springsteen who is a big fan. In 1981, Springsteen produced a successful comeback album for Bonds.
4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Suzanne Wiese

    November 21, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    Were you every tempted with hard drugs?

  2. Hesh Meister

    February 22, 2021 at 10:40 pm

    You state that the appearance of “Hungry Heart” in the movie “Risky Business” was the first time Springsteen’s music was used in film … but you need to append three words to that sentence: “in the USA.” Because the first time Bruce’s music *ever* appeared in a movie was in the Israeli film “Dead End Street” (1982), which featured “Point Blank” and “Jungleland.” This was facilitated by Suki Lahav, who had played with Springsteen in 1974 and played the violin intro on “Jungleland” on the Born to Run album; the film’s director was a Springsteen fan and wanted to feature his music, and asked Lahav to get in touch with her former ‘boss.’

  3. Randall Burgin

    February 23, 2022 at 4:39 pm

    He came from Freehold, but was actually born in Long Branch, NJ.

  4. Paul Hartmann

    February 23, 2022 at 11:26 pm

    First of all, they didn’t make corvettes in 1950. The first was 1953 and Bruce’s is a 1960 which was recently driven by Barack Obama at Bruce’s home on Colts Neck a few months back. Just trying to set the record straight. While I’m here, Danny and myself had our own music business and were also partners in an airplane we purchased was back in ’87.

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