Bruce Springsteen
Origins and beginnings
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949 in Long Branch, New Jersey. Coming from a working-class background—his father was a factory worker and his mother a secretary—he discovered music through Elvis Presley during his appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. This moment was a turning point that led him to ask for a guitar.
He formed the E Street Band and signed with Columbia Records thanks to producer John Hammond (the same who had signed Bob Dylan). His first album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., was released in 1973, and critic Jon Landau famously wrote: “I saw rock and roll future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”
Breakthrough and acclaim
Born to Run (1975) propelled him onto the covers of both Time and Newsweek, an unprecedented achievement. The album captures the essence of the American Dream and its disillusionments. The River (1980) and Nebraska (1982), an acoustic album recorded solo on a 4-track Tascam recorder, showcase his artistic depth.
Born in the U.S.A. (1984) became a global phenomenon with 30 million copies sold and seven Top 10 singles. Despite its patriotic title, the song is a social critique of the situation of Vietnam veterans. His marathon concerts of 3 to 4 hours with the E Street Band became legendary, pushing the limits of endurance and emotion.
Legacy
Springsteen has won 20 Grammy Awards, an Oscar (for the song “Streets of Philadelphia” in 1994), and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999. He has sold more than 150 million albums worldwide. His autobiography Born to Run (2016) and his Broadway show (2017–2018) revealed an artist of rare emotional honesty.
Signature guitar
His 1950s Fender Telecaster Esquire, recognizable by its stickers and its body worn down by decades of performances, is his most iconic instrument. He also uses Fender Stratocaster and Takamine acoustic guitars. Springsteen’s Telecaster has become a symbol of American blue-collar rock.
