Music

Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in New Jersey, to a mother of Italian origin and an Irish father. As a teenager, he fell under the spell of Elvis Presley and became passionate about the star. Faced with his determination to get into music, his mother bought him his first guitar at a pawn shop. He then began writing his lyrics while strumming his instrument, carried by the writings of Bob Dylan.

In 1972, he was spotted by John Hammond, a talent scout, who led him to sign with Columbia Records. He brought with him his band of musician friends, most of whom would form the E Street Band. "Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey", his first album with a postcard title, was only a minor local success but he was already attracting reviewers. Affectionately nicknamed "the Boss" by his musicians, Bruce Springsteen is nevertheless convinced that success is not far away. But his second album, "The Wild, the Innocent and the E street Shuffle" did not yet bring him recognition.

It was not until 1975 with "Born to Run" that his conviction came true. The album was a huge success, earning him a simultaneous appearance on the covers of Time and Newsweek. The legend with 140 million albums sold was born.

From Elvis to Patti Smith

At the same time, the singer started composing for other artists. In 1977, he wrote "Fire" for his idol Elvis Presley, who unfortunately died without having been able to sing it. The following year, he gave Patti Smith his famous "Because the Night".

In 1978 the singer released a more sombre album, "Darkness on the Edge of Town", followed by "The river" in 1980 with the hit "Hungry Heart".

In 1982, "Nebraska", his first opus without the E Street Band, saw him make a statement. In this album recorded with only a guitar, a harmonica and a tambourine, the singer denounced the excesses of American society and policy in Vietnam. "Born in the USA" has the makings of a hit in the form of a position paper and was a huge popular success. Several politicians tried to appropriate the song, such as George Bush, who used it as the anthem of his 1988 campaign. To the ire of its author, who never stops reminding us that it is not a patriotic song, but the story of a Vietnam veteran and his difficult return to the USA.

 Springsteen on the road

The following years were devoted to major world tours, always in the company of his faithful musicians. In 1987, "Tunnel of Love" was released, a compilation of texts on love and its different forms. A year later, the Boss played in front of 300,000 young Germans in East Berlin. "I came to play rock 'n' roll for you in the hope that one day all barriers will be abolished," he told the crowd. The fall of the Berlin Wall took place two years later.

He recorded "Human Touch" and "Lucky Town" in 1992. Although the public's enthusiasm was not there this time, the track "Streets of Philadelphia", taken from the soundtrack of the film "Philadelphia" with Tom Hanks, earned him the Oscar for the best song of the year and is still one of the songs recognizable from the first notes.

The second half of the 90s saw the release of "The Ghost of Tom Joad", a "Greatest Hits" and a compilation of unreleased material. On this occasion, he played on the stage of Madison Square Garden with the E Street Band. 2022 saw the release of a new album, "The Rising," the first recorded together in the studio for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, who had become his live band. Shaken by the attacks of September 11, the singer included many titles that evoked the tragedy. Four years later, "Devils and Dust" saw him return to a more intimate style. The opus was followed by another solo world tour.

Springsteen shall overcome

Tireless, a year later he released "We Shall Overcome", with a more folk music feel. A tour with the "Seeger Session Band" followed, during which the classics of the North American folk repertoire were honored.

Another tour in 2007, this time again with his bandmates from the E Street Band, announced "Magic". His 17th studio album "Wrecking Ball" was released in March 2012, six months after the death of Clarence Simons, the band's saxophonist.

"High Hopes" was released in January 2014 along with his first book, an autobiographical novel entitled "Outlaw Pete". In 2016 he published an autobiography, "Born to Run", which quickly became a bestseller in bookstores.

2019, "Western Stars" was inspired by Californian pop. 2020’s "Letter to you" was recorded in just four days, again with his accomplices from the E Street Band.

No goodbye tours

In 2021, the singer published "Born in the USA" with Barack Obama. Having become close since the future president's first campaign, the two men discussed topics that are close to their hearts and their life paths.

In 2023 he had to cancel his concerts, victim of a health problem that forced him to take a rare rest. A few months later, the famous Forbes magazine announced that he was now part of the very popular club of billionaire musicians. A fortune to which the sale of the rights to its huge music catalog to Sony has contributed.

Today, the Boss has resumed his tours and will soon be portrayed on the big screen in a biopic entitled "Deliver me from Nowhere". The star of "Bear", Jeremy Allen White, will play the role of the legend.

Meanhile, there are no goodbyes on the agenda for the hyperactive singer: "We are not doing a farewell tour. I'm not going anywhere! " he said this summer.

(CMa - Photo: Etienne Tordoir

Photo : Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band on the stage of Feyenoord in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) on June 13 1985 (© Etienne Tordoir)