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)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Rock heartland rock folk pop rock
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Columbia
Signature

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. He is famous for his powerful voice and energetic concerts, some of which last for over four hours. Fans call him "The Boss."

For most of his career, Springsteen has performed with his longtime backing group, the E Street Band. He is a key figure in a style of music called heartland rock. This genre mixes rock music with lyrics about the lives and struggles of working-class Americans.

Springsteen has released 21 studio albums and sold over 140 million records worldwide. This makes him one of the best-selling music artists ever. His most famous album, Born in the U.S.A. (1984), is one of the top-selling albums of all time. He has won many awards, including 20 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Early Life and First Guitar

Springsteen went to Freehold High School in New Jersey. A teacher said he was a "loner who wanted nothing more than to play his guitar." He graduated in 1967.

Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, on September 23, 1949. His father, Douglas, worked as a bus driver, and his mother, Adele, was a legal secretary. He grew up in Freehold, New Jersey, with his two younger sisters, Virginia and Pamela.

Springsteen became interested in music at age seven after seeing Elvis Presley on television. His mother rented him a guitar, but he didn't stick with it. Later, inspired by The Beatles, he bought his first guitar for $18.95 and started a band called the Rogues.

He attended Freehold High School but didn't feel like he fit in. After graduating in 1967, he decided to focus on music instead of going to college.

Music Career Beginnings

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.

1964–1972: Forming Bands

In 1965, Springsteen became the lead guitarist for a local band called The Castiles. They played in clubs in New Jersey and even in Greenwich Village in New York City. After The Castiles, he played in other bands like Earth and Steel Mill. The band Steel Mill became popular along the Jersey Shore.

In 1972, a talent scout from Columbia Records, John Hammond, signed Springsteen to a record deal. Hammond had also signed the famous singer Bob Dylan. Springsteen then formed a new group to record his first album. This group would later become known as the E Street Band. He got the nickname "The Boss" because he would collect the money the band earned each night and give it to his bandmates.

1972–1974: First Albums

Springsteen released his first two albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle, in 1973. Music critics liked them, but they didn't sell many copies. Still, songs like "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)" became favorites among his fans and are still played at his concerts today.

During this time, music critic Jon Landau saw one of his shows and wrote, "I saw rock and roll future, and its name is Bruce Springsteen." Landau later became Springsteen's manager and producer.

Rise to Superstardom

Springsteen and the E Street Band in February 1977.

1975–1983: Breakthrough with Born to Run

Springsteen's third album, Born to Run (1975), was a huge success. It took over a year to record because Springsteen wanted the sound to be perfect. The album reached No. 3 on the Billboard charts and made him a worldwide star. In October 1975, he appeared on the covers of both Time and Newsweek in the same week.

After a legal dispute with his former manager, he returned with the album Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978). This album had a tougher, more raw rock sound. He followed it with The River (1980), a double album that became his first to reach No. 1 in the U.S. Its single, "Hungry Heart", was his first top-ten hit.

In 1982, he released Nebraska, a quiet, solo album he recorded at home. It had dark songs about the struggles of everyday people.

1984–1986: Born in the U.S.A. and Global Fame

Springsteen and E Street Band member Clarence Clemons performing in Madison, Wisconsin.

In 1984, Springsteen released Born in the U.S.A., which became his most successful album. It sold 30 million copies worldwide and had seven top-ten singles, including "Dancing in the Dark" and the famous title track.

The song "Born in the U.S.A." was often misunderstood. While it sounded like a patriotic anthem, the lyrics were actually about the difficult treatment of Vietnam veterans when they returned home. President Ronald Reagan even mentioned the song in a campaign speech, but Springsteen later clarified that the president had not understood its true meaning.

The tour for this album was a massive success, and Springsteen became one of the most visible stars in popular culture. In 1986, he released a live box set, Live/1975–85, which became the first box set to debut at No. 1 on the U.S. charts.

Later Career and New Music

Springsteen performing in East Berlin in July 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall fell.

1987–1998: New Directions

In 1987, Springsteen released Tunnel of Love, a more thoughtful album about relationships. In 1988, he performed a historic concert in East Berlin for 300,000 people. Many believe this concert helped encourage the spirit of change that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall a year later.

In the 1990s, he released two albums at once, Human Touch and Lucky Town (1992). In 1994, he won an Academy Award for his song "Streets of Philadelphia" from the movie Philadelphia. He also reunited with the E Street Band for a Greatest Hits album in 1995.

1999–2011: Reunion and Reflection

The crowd outside Giants Stadium for one of Springsteen's 10 sold-out shows in July 2003.

In 1999, Springsteen and the E Street Band officially reunited for a tour that lasted over a year. In 2002, he released The Rising, an album that reflected on the September 11 attacks. It was a critical and commercial success.

He continued to release popular albums, including the solo acoustic record Devils & Dust (2005) and Magic (2007) with the E Street Band. In 2009, he performed at the Super Bowl XLIII halftime show and received the Kennedy Center Honors for his contributions to American culture.

2012–Present: Recent Work and Tours

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

Springsteen's recent work includes the No. 1 album Wrecking Ball (2012) and High Hopes (2014). In 2016, he published his autobiography, Born to Run.

From 2017 to 2018, he performed a popular one-man show called Springsteen on Broadway, where he told stories and played songs. He released the album Western Stars in 2019 and Letter to You with the E Street Band in 2020. With Letter to You, he became the first artist to have a top-five album in six different decades.

In 2022, he released Only the Strong Survive, an album of classic soul music covers. He and the E Street Band launched a major international tour in 2023 that concluded in 2025. In June 2025, he released Tracks II: The Lost Albums, a large collection of 83 unreleased songs recorded over many years.

Personal Life

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

Springsteen was married to actress Julianne Phillips from 1985 to 1989.

In 1984, he asked singer Patti Scialfa to join the E Street Band. They became good friends and later started a relationship. They married in 1991 and have three children: Evan, Jessica, and Sam. Their daughter, Jessica, is a champion equestrian who has competed for the U.S. Olympic team.

The family lives on a horse farm in Colts Neck, New Jersey. Springsteen wanted to raise his children away from the pressures of Hollywood. In 2022, he became a grandfather.

Legacy and Impact

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

Bruce Springsteen is considered one of the greatest songwriters and performers in rock history. His music gives a voice to everyday people and explores themes of hope, struggle, and the American dream. His concerts are legendary for their energy and length, creating a powerful connection with his audience.

He has won many of a musician's highest honors. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian awards in the United States. In 2024, he became the first international songwriter to be named a Fellow by the UK's The Ivors Academy.

His influence can be heard in the music of many artists, and his songs continue to be celebrated for their powerful storytelling.

Discography

Studio albums

Images for kids

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  Springsteen performing in New Haven, Connecticut, around 1977–1978.

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  Springsteen performing in Oslo, Norway, in May 1981.

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  Springsteen at a campaign rally for Barack Obama in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2008.

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  Fireworks at the end of a show during the final concerts at Giants Stadium in October 2009.

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  Springsteen in 2012.

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

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

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  Springsteen during a performance of Springsteen on Broadway in 2017.

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

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  Springsteen performing in Copenhagen, Denmark, in July 2023.

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

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

See also

In Spanish: Bruce Springsteen para niños