Bruce Springsteen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bruce Springsteen
Springsteen in 2024
Born	(1949-09-23) September 23, 1949 (age 75) Long Branch, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Singer songwriter musician
Spouse(s)	Julianne Phillips ​ ​ (m. 1985; div. 1989)​ Patti Scialfa ​ ​ (m. 1991)​
Children	3, including Jessica
Relatives	Pamela Springsteen (sister)
Musical career
Genres	Rock heartland rock folk pop rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Columbia

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist. People often call him "the Boss." He has released 21 studio albums over many decades. Most of his albums feature the E Street Band, which has been his band since 1972.

Springsteen helped create a music style called heartland rock. This style mixes popular rock music with thoughtful lyrics about the lives of everyday American people. He is famous for his detailed songs and exciting concerts, which can sometimes last for more than four hours!

Springsteen released his first two albums in 1973: Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle. Critics liked them, but they didn't sell many copies. He changed his sound and became famous worldwide with Born to Run (1975). After that came Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978) and The River (1980). The River was his first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart.

After a solo acoustic album called Nebraska (1982), he recorded Born in the U.S.A. (1984) with the E Street Band. This became his most successful album, selling millions of copies. Seven songs from Born in the U.S.A. became Top 10 hits, including the famous title song. Later, he reunited with the E Street Band for Greatest Hits (1995).

Springsteen dedicated The Rising (2002) to the people affected by the September 11 attacks. He released more albums, including Magic (2007) and Working on a Dream (2009) with the E Street Band. His albums Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014) topped charts around the world.

From 2017 to 2021, Springsteen performed a popular show called Springsteen on Broadway. In this show, he sang songs and shared stories from his 2016 autobiography. He released a solo album, Western Stars (2019), and Letter to You (2020) with the E Street Band. Letter to You reached number 2 in the U.S. This made Springsteen the first artist to have a top-five album in six different decades!

Springsteen has sold over 140 million albums worldwide. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists ever. He has won many awards, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award. He was added to the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2016, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Rolling Stone magazine called him "the embodiment of rock and roll."

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Springsteen attended Freehold High School in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. A teacher said he was a "loner who wanted nothing more than to play his guitar." He skipped his graduation ceremony in 1967.

Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, on September 23, 1949. His father, Douglas, worked various jobs, and his mother, Adele, was a legal secretary. She was the main person earning money for the family. Bruce grew up Catholic in Freehold, New Jersey. His family has roots from Dutch, Irish, and Italian backgrounds.

Bruce's ancestors from the Netherlands settled in America in the 1600s. His family name, Springsteen, means "stepping stone" in Dutch. His Italian grandfather came to the U.S. through Ellis Island. He became a lawyer and was a big inspiration to young Bruce.

Bruce has two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela. Pamela became a photographer and took pictures for some of Bruce's album covers.

Bruce went to St. Rose of Lima Catholic School. He often disagreed with the nuns there. However, his Catholic upbringing later influenced some of his music. He became interested in music at age seven after seeing Elvis Presley on TV. Soon after, his mother rented him a guitar.

In high school, Bruce didn't feel like he fit in. A teacher said he only wanted to play his guitar. He graduated in 1967 but didn't go to his graduation. He briefly went to college but dropped out. At 19, he was supposed to join the military, but he didn't pass the physical exam. This meant he didn't have to serve in the Vietnam War. In 1969, his parents and sister Pamela moved to California, but Bruce stayed in New Jersey.

Building a Music Career

The Stone Pony is a famous music club in Asbury Park, New Jersey. Springsteen and the E Street Band played there often in the 1970s. Bruce met his second wife, Patti Scialfa, at this club.

In 1964, Bruce saw the Beatles on TV and was inspired. He bought his first guitar and started playing with a band called the Rogues. His mother later helped him buy a better guitar. In 1965, he joined the Castiles, a band that recorded two songs and played in places like Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village.

From 1969 to 1971, Springsteen played with a band called Child, which later became Steel Mill. This band played in New Jersey and other states, gaining many fans. A music critic praised Steel Mill, calling Springsteen "a most impressive composer."

Bruce kept working on his songwriting. He performed with other bands like Dr. Zoom & the Sonic Boom. His songs often had many words, like a whole album for other artists. In 1972, he auditioned for John Hammond at Columbia Records.

In October 1972, Springsteen formed a new band to record his first album. This band later became known as the E Street Band. Bruce got the nickname "the Boss" because he would collect the band's pay and share it with everyone.

Early Albums and Growing Fame

Springsteen signed with Columbia Records in 1972. His first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., came out in January 1973. Critics liked it, but it didn't sell many copies at first. Because of his poetic lyrics and folk-rock sound, people compared him to Bob Dylan.

In September 1973, his second album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, was released. It also received good reviews but didn't sell much. His songs became bigger, with the E Street Band adding a rhythm and blues feel. Songs like "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" became fan favorites and are still played at his concerts.

After seeing Springsteen perform, music critic Jon Landau wrote, "I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen." Landau later helped Bruce finish his next album, Born to Run. This album took over a year to record. Bruce wanted a big, powerful sound. He even threw early versions of the album away because he wasn't happy with them.

The song "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" was being recorded when Steven Van Zandt joined the E Street Band. Van Zandt helped Springsteen perfect the famous guitar part in "Born to Run."

Born to Run and Big Success

Springsteen and the E Street Band in February 1977.

On August 13, 1975, Springsteen and the E Street Band played 10 shows over five nights at The Bottom Line club in New York. These shows got a lot of media attention. Rolling Stone magazine later called this time one of the "50 Moments That Changed Rock and Roll."

Born to Run was released on August 25, 1975. This album made Springsteen famous worldwide. It reached number 3 on the Billboard 200. Many songs from the album, like "Born to Run" and "Thunder Road", became popular on rock radio stations. In October 1975, Springsteen was on the covers of both Newsweek and Time magazines in the same week.

A legal issue kept Springsteen from recording new music for almost a year. During this time, he toured a lot with the E Street Band. His new songs sounded more serious. When he returned to the studio, he made Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978). The songs on this album were simpler and showed his growing awareness of social issues. The tour for this album became famous for its intense and long shows.

By the late 1970s, other artists started having hits with songs written by Springsteen. Manfred Mann's Earth Band had a number one hit with "Blinded by the Light." Patti Smith had a hit with "Because the Night."

In 1979, Springsteen and the E Street Band played at concerts for Musicians United for Safe Energy. This was his first time getting involved in political issues.

Springsteen performing in Oslo in 1981.

Springsteen continued to write about working-class life on his double album The River (1980). This album had a mix of fun party songs and emotional ballads. It also gave him his first top ten hit as a performer, "Hungry Heart." The River became his first album to reach number one on the Billboard Pop Albums chart.

In 1982, he released Nebraska, a quiet, solo acoustic album. It showed a darker side of American life. While it didn't sell as much as his previous albums, critics loved it. Rolling Stone magazine named it "Album of the Year."

Born in the U.S.A. and Global Fame

Springsteen is most famous for his album Born in the U.S.A. (1984). It sold 15 million copies in the U.S. and 30 million worldwide. This made it one of the best-selling albums ever. Seven songs from the album became Top 10 hits.

The title song was about how Vietnam veterans were treated. The lyrics were clear, but the powerful music made some people misunderstand it. They thought it was a patriotic song. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan even mentioned Springsteen in a speech. Springsteen later told his audience that he didn't think the President had listened to his album Nebraska, which had more serious songs.

"Dancing in the Dark" was the biggest hit from Born in the U.S.A.. It reached number 2 on the Billboard singles chart. The music video for this song featured a young Courteney Cox dancing with Springsteen, which helped her career.

Springsteen at Félix Houphouët-Boigny International Airport in Côte d’Ivoire during Amnesty International's 1988 Human Rights Now! Tour.

The Born in the U.S.A. era was when Springsteen was most visible in popular culture. In 1985, all seven of his albums were on the UK Albums Chart at the same time. This was the first time an artist had done that.

Live/1975–85, a big box set of live recordings, came out in 1986. It was the first box set to reach number one on the U.S. album charts. It became one of the most successful live albums ever.

New Directions and Activism

Springsteen released a quieter album called Tunnel of Love in 1987. This album explored different kinds of love. The full E Street Band was used only for some songs.

Springsteen performing in East Berlin in July 1988 during the Tunnel of Love Express Tour.

On July 19, 1988, Springsteen played a concert in East Germany that drew 300,000 people. Some believe this concert helped lead to the fall of the Berlin Wall the next year. Later in 1988, Springsteen led the Human Rights Now! tour for Amnesty International. In late 1989, he decided to take a break from the E Street Band.

In 1992, Springsteen released two albums at once: Human Touch and Lucky Town. He won an Academy Award in 1994 for his song "Streets of Philadelphia." This song was on the soundtrack for the movie Philadelphia.

US President Bill Clinton with Springsteen in 1997.

In 1995, he brought the E Street Band back together for some new songs on his Greatest Hits album. He then released his second folk album, The Ghost of Tom Joad. This album was inspired by John Steinbeck's book The Grapes of Wrath. It focused on the lives of immigrants and people struggling. He toured solo with an acoustic guitar for this album.

After that tour, Springsteen moved back to New Jersey with his family. In 1998, he released Tracks, a collection of songs that hadn't been released before. He later said the 1990s were a "lost period" for him musically.

Reunion and New Music

Fans outside Giants Stadium for The Rising Tour in July 2003. Springsteen played 10 nights there.

In 1999, Springsteen and the E Street Band reunited for a big tour. They played many sold-out shows. In 2002, Springsteen released The Rising, his first studio album with the full band in 18 years. This album was mainly about the September 11 attacks. It was a big success with critics and fans. The song "The Rising" was played a lot on the radio. The album won a Grammy for Best Rock Album.

In 2004, Springsteen and the E Street Band joined the Vote for Change tour. They performed with other musicians to support political causes.

Springsteen performing an acoustic song during the solo Devils & Dust Tour in Frankfurt, Germany, in June 2005.

Devils & Dust was released in 2005. It was a quiet, mostly acoustic album, similar to Nebraska. The title song was about a soldier's feelings during the Iraq War. The album reached number one in 10 countries.

Springsteen and the Sessions Band performing in Milan, Italy, in May 2006.

In 2006, Springsteen released We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions. This album was a folk music project featuring songs made popular by Pete Seeger. He toured with a large group of musicians called the Seeger Sessions Band.

Springsteen's next album, Magic, came out in October 2007. It was recorded with the E Street Band. It included a hidden song, "Terry's Song", as a tribute to his assistant who had passed away.

Later Career and Achievements

Springsteen at a Barack Obama campaign rally

Cleveland, Ohio, on November 2, 2008.

In 2008, Bruce Springsteen supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign. He performed at rallies, and his song "The Rising" was played after Obama's victory speech. Springsteen also performed at Obama's Inaugural Celebration in 2009.

In 2009, Springsteen won a Golden Globe Award for Best Song for "The Wrestler." He gave the song to the movie for free after getting a letter from the lead actor.

Springsteen performed at the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show in February 2009. He promised a "twelve-minute party" and played some of his biggest hits. His album Working on a Dream was released in early 2009.

Fireworks at the end of a concert at Giants Stadium.

Springsteen received the Kennedy Center Honors in December 2009. President Obama praised Springsteen for writing songs about the lives of regular Americans. The 2000s ended with Springsteen being named one of the top artists of the decade by Rolling Stone magazine.

Clarence Clemons, the E Street Band's saxophonist, passed away in 2011.

Recent Years and New Projects

Springsteen's 17th studio album, Wrecking Ball, came out in March 2012. It became his tenth number one album in the U.S. This tied him with Elvis Presley for the third most number one albums ever.

Springsteen and Van Zandt performing at the 2012 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

He went on the Wrecking Ball Tour in 2012. In Helsinki, Finland, he played his longest concert ever, lasting over four hours. Springsteen also campaigned for President Obama's re-election. The Wrecking Ball album and its songs were nominated for three Grammy Awards.

In 2013, a documentary called Springsteen & I was released. It featured fans sharing their stories about Bruce.

Springsteen performing during the Stand Up for Heroes special in 2014.

His eighteenth studio album, High Hopes, was released in January 2014. It was his eleventh number one album in the U.S. and tenth in the UK.

In 2016, Chapter and Verse, a collection of songs from his career, was released. His 500-page autobiography, Born to Run, also came out and became a bestseller.

Springsteen and the E Street Band performing at Wembley Stadium in June 2016.

The River 2016 Tour was the highest-grossing tour worldwide in 2016. Springsteen supported Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign in 2016. In November 2016, President Obama gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom award.

Springsteen during a performance of Springsteen on Broadway in 2017.

Springsteen on Broadway, a special show in New York City, began in 2017. He read from his autobiography and performed songs. The show was very popular and ran for over a year. He received a Special Tony Award for it.

In 2019, Springsteen released his nineteenth studio album, Western Stars. He also co-directed a film about the album. In 2020, he released Letter to You with the E Street Band. He also appeared in a podcast with Barack Obama called Renegades: Born in the USA.

In 2021, Springsteen sold the rights to his entire music catalog to Sony Music for $500 million. This was one of the biggest music deals ever.

Recent Tours and Collaborations

Springsteen leading a sing-a-long during a concert in Seattle in February 2023.

Springsteen performing in Copenhagen, Denmark, in July 2023.

In May 2022, it was announced that Springsteen would start an international tour with the E Street Band in 2023. In November, he released his twenty-first studio album, Only the Strong Survive. This album features covers of classic soul music songs.

In February 2023, Springsteen and the E Street Band began their first tour in six years. Some shows were postponed due to Springsteen's health issues. In April 2024, it was announced that a movie about the making of his Nebraska album would be made.

In July 2024, Forbes reported that Springsteen's net worth was over $1.1 billion. This makes him one of the richest musicians. He also said during a concert that he was not planning a farewell tour.

Springsteen's Music and Impact

Springsteen is known as one of the greatest songwriters ever. He is called a "rock 'n' roll poet" who shows "working-class authenticity." His music explores themes like desire, freedom, and finding yourself in everyday life. His songs often tell detailed stories, like mini-movies.

Rolling Stone magazine has included many of his albums and songs on their "Greatest Albums of All Time" and "Greatest Songs of All Time" lists. His album Darkness on the Edge of Town marked a change in his songwriting. He started focusing on the emotional struggles of working-class people.

When Springsteen performs, fans often shout "Bruuuce," which sounds like booing. This can confuse new concert-goers!

In April 2023, the governor of New Jersey declared September 23 as "Bruce Springsteen Day."

Personal Life

Family and Relationships

Springsteen's wife Patti Scialfa, a member of the E Street Band, during a 2017 performance of Springsteen on Broadway.

In the early 1980s, Bruce met Patti Scialfa at The Stone Pony, a music club in New Jersey. They became friends. In 1984, Springsteen asked Scialfa to join the E Street Band for the Born in the U.S.A. Tour.

Springsteen married actress Julianne Phillips in 1985. Many songs on his album Tunnel of Love described the unhappiness he felt in this marriage. They later separated, and their divorce was finalized in 1989.

Scialfa moved in with Springsteen after his separation. On June 8, 1991, Springsteen and Scialfa married in a private ceremony. They have three children: Evan James, Jessica Rae, and Samuel Ryan. When their children were young, they moved back to New Jersey to raise them away from the public eye.

The family lives on a horse farm in Colts Neck Township. Evan writes and performs his own songs. Jessica is a champion horse rider. Samuel is a firefighter in Jersey City. In 2022, Springsteen and Scialfa became grandparents.

Health Updates

In September 2023, Springsteen announced that he had to postpone his concerts. This was because he was getting treatment for a health issue. Some shows in 2023 and 2024 were moved to later dates.

Personal Beliefs

Springsteen has said he has a personal connection with Jesus. He believes that "once you're a Catholic you're always a Catholic." He feels that even if he doesn't practice his religion, it's still a part of him.

Political Views and Activism

Springsteen with U.S. President Joe Biden at the White House in March 2023.

Springsteen has often used his voice to support causes he believes in. He supported Barack Obama's presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. He performed at rallies and spoke about the importance of jobs, education, and dignity for all Americans.

Springsteen supports LGBT rights and has spoken out for gay marriage. In 2009, he said that marriage equality is a "civil rights issue." In 2012, he supported an ad campaign for gay marriage. In 2016, he canceled a concert in North Carolina to protest a law that he felt discriminated against transgender people. He released a statement saying he stood against "hate and division."

During a concert in Australia in 2017, Springsteen spoke about the 2017 Women's March. He said he supported those who marched for tolerance, inclusion, civil rights, and equality.

Springsteen has been a strong critic of Donald Trump's presidency. He said Trump "doesn't have a grasp of the deep meaning of what it means to be an American." His song "The Rising" was used in the 2020 Democratic National Convention to support Joe Biden. Springsteen also narrated a campaign ad for Biden. In October 2024, he endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris.

Awards and Recognition

Springsteen receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2016.

Springsteen has sold over 140 million records worldwide. He has won many awards, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Special Tony Award.

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2009, he received the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

In May 2021, Springsteen received the Woody Guthrie Prize. This award honors artists who speak out for social justice. In March 2023, he was given the National Medal of Arts by President Joe Biden. In May 2024, he became the first international songwriter to be inducted into The Ivors Academy Fellowship.

Discography

Studio albums

Concert Tours

A banner at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. It recognizes Springsteen's many sold-out concerts there.

Springsteen is famous for his energetic and very long live shows.

Main Tours

Special Shows

• Springsteen on Broadway (2017–18; 2021)

Tours with Others

• Human Rights Now! (1988)
• Vote for Change (2004)

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Springsteen para niños

• Forbes list of highest-earning musicians
• Honorific nicknames in popular music
• List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Mainstream Rock chart
• List of highest-grossing live music artists
• List of music artists by net worth
• Music of New Jersey