Bruce Springsteen Pictures, Biography, Profile, Facts, Discography, Filmography, more.

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen was born Sep 23, 1949 in Freehold, NJ. Beginning in the mid-60's, Springsteen played in a series of varied local bands, from garage to blues rock. In the early 70's, he was playing solo as a folk singer-songwriter in Greenwich Village. Bruce Springsteen was signed as a solo act to Columbia Records in 1972, and released his first album in 1973, Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ. The album received some good critical notices, but did not sell well. Later that year, The Wild, the Innocent, and the E Street Shuffle was released to a similar response. After the release of this album, the group of musicians Bruce Springsteen was working with, mostly met during his New Jersey band days, were named the E Street Band.

Bruce Springsteen released his first album in 1973, but it was his second album, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle in 1974 that led a rock critic to call him "the future of rock'n'roll." A year later Springsteen released Born to Run to critical and popular success, and he was a bona fide rock star, nicknamed "The Boss." In the '80s he released The River to huge success, and his 1984 album, Born in the U.S.A. was on top of the charts for seven weeks. In the '90s Springsteen left his back-up band and recorded solo, but by the end of the decade was touring with them again. He is known for his songs about working-class Americans, and for his generous and frequent live performances.

Bruce Springsteen toured heavily; building up an audience and his first two albums would sell steadily. The release of Springsteen's third album, Born To Run was met with enthusiastic critical reaction and promoted by a major record company campaign. It was an international hit. Bruce Springsteen continued with a string of acclaimed and popular albums and in 1984 bested the success of his breakthrough album with Born In The USA, which sold 12 million copies and had numerous hit singles. After the release of another album, Tunnel of Love and it's tour, Springsteen disbanded the E Street Band in 1989. He continued on as solo artist in the 90's, releasing two albums simultaneously in 1992, Human Touch and Lucky Town. Bruce Springsteen recorded two new songs with the E Street Band for 1995's Greatest Hits, but continued solo later that year on The Ghost of Tom Joad album. In 1999, Bruce Springsteen reunited with the E Street Band for a tour and a new album in 2002, The Rising.

Trivia / Timeline:

Born on the same day as the late soul singer Ray Charles and actor Jason Alexander.

Half Irish, half Italian.

Brother of Pamela Springsteen.

Paul Schrader asked Springsteen to write a title song for a movie he had written called "Born in the USA". After Springsteen wrote it, he liked the song so much, he used for his multi-platinum album of the same name instead. As a replacement, Springsteen wrote another song and that song title became the film's new title, Light of Day (1987). That is why Springsteen thanks Schrader in the liner notes of the album.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, where Bono of U2 gave the induction speech. When U2 was inducted in 2005, Springsteen gave their induction speech, returning the favor.

For all his musical success, Springsteen has never recorded a number one hit. "Hungry Heart", (believed to be number one by some) only hit number five. The closest he came was number two, with "Dancing In The Dark". Springsteen did however write "Blinded By The Light", which hit number one when recorded by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

His Oscar winning song "Streets of Philadelphia" from Philadelphia was ranked #68 on The American Film Institute's list of "The 100 Years of The Greatest Songs".

In 2004 radio station 88.5 WXPN performed the 885 greatest songs ever, though they mostly just did rock (Mozart wasn't on the list) and Springsteen won first place with Thunder Road, Born to Run following at number six and then many other songs scattered throughout.

One of Springsteen's most famous songs, "Thunder Road", took inspiration from the Robert Mitchum movie of the same name. Cappy Van Dien has the same birthday as Springsteen and is named after his Great Grand Father Robert Mitchum and his father Casper Van Dien - Casper Robert Mitchum Van Dien.

Was occasionally confused with Bob Seger in the 1970s and 1980s. They have similar singing voices and both utilize saxophone players in their music.

Bruce Springsteen Discography:

Studio Bruce Springsteen Albums & Bruce Springsteen CDs:

1973 Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J. Columbia

1973 The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle Columbia

1975 Born to Run Columbia

1978 Darkness on the Edge of Town Columbia

1980 The River Columbia

1982 Nebraska Columbia

1984 Born in the U.S.A. Columbia

1987 Tunnel of Love Columbia

1992 Human Touch Columbia

1992 Lucky Town Columbia

1995 The Ghost of Tom Joad Columbia

2002 The Rising Sony

2005 Devils & Dust Columbia

Bruce Springsteen Discography - Live Bruce Springsteen CDs

1986 Live 1975-1985 Columbia

1993 In Concert/MTV Plugged [live] Columbia

1995 Greatest Hits [Columbia] Columbia

1999 MTV Plugged Import

2001 Live in New York City Columbia

Compilation Bruce Springsteen CDs:

1995 Greatest Hits [Columbia] Columbia

1998 Tracks Columbia x

1999 18 Tracks Columbia

1999 Greatest Hits [Sony International] Sony

1999 Before the Fame USA

2002 Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. Columbia

2003 The Essential Bruce Springsteen Columbia

2004 Live Collection Sony

Single Bruce Springsteen CDs:

1988 Spare Parts CBS

1988 Chimes of Freedom [EP] Columbia

1992 57 Channels (And Nothin' On) Columbia

1994 Streets of Philadelphia Sony

1995 Secret Garden [EP] Columbia

1998 My Hometown Sony

2000 Sad Eyes Sony

2001 American Skin Sony

2002 The Rising/Land of Hope and Dreams: Live at... Sony

2002 Lonesome Day Sony

2003 Waitin on a Sunny Day Sony

2003 Roll the Dice

Bruce Springsteen Videos:

1992 Unplugged [live] Sony

1996 Blood Brothers [Video/DVD] Sony

2002 Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000 CBS

2001 Live in New York (Video/DVD) Sony

2003 Live in Barcelona (Video/DVD) Sony

2004 In Concert/MTV Plugged (Video/DVD) Sony

Bruce Springsteen Filmography:

As Actor:

Murder Incorporated (1995)

As Composer:

"80s" (2005) TV Series (song "Born in the USA")

Hustle (2004/II) (TV) (song "Glory Days")

Grand Theft Parsons (2003) (song "Blood Brothers")

25th Hour (2002) (song "The Fuse")

Skins (2002) (song "Born in the USA")

The Concert for New York City (2001) (TV) (song "Born to Run")

America: A Tribute to Heroes (2001) (TV) (song "My City of Ruins")

Blow (2001) (song "Blinded By the Light")

Lucky Numbers (2000) (song "Light of Day")

The Perfect Storm (2000) (song "Hungry Heart") ... aka Sturm, Der (Germany)

High Fidelity (2000) (song "The River")

Big Daddy (1999) (song "Growin' Up")

Limbo (1999) (song "Lift Me Up")

No Looking Back (1998)

The Wedding Singer (1998) (song "Hungry Heart")

Vietnam Long Time Coming (1998) (song "Shut Out the Light")

Lawn Dogs (1997) (song "Dancing in the Dark")

Cop Land (1997) (songs "Darkness on the Edge of Town", "Drive All Night" and "Stolen Car")

Rage Against the Machine (1997) (V) (song "The Ghost of Tom Joad")

Jerry Maguire (1996) (song "Secret Garden")

The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996) (TV) (song "Dead Man Walkin'")

Dead Man Walking (1995) (song "Dead Man Walkin'")

The Crossing Guard (1995) (song "Missing")

Philadelphia (1993) (opening title "Streets of Philadelphia"

Peter's Friends (1992) (song "Hungry Heart")

Thunderheart (1992) (song "Badlands")

Bruce Springsteen: Video Anthology 1978-1988 (1989) (V) (songs)

Palombella rossa (1989) (song "I'm on Fire")

Born in East L.A. (1987) (song "Born in East L.A.")

Light of Day (1987) (song "Light Of Day")

Ruthless People (1986) (song "Stand on It")

Baby It's You (1983) (song "Adam Raised a Cain") (song "E Street Shuffle") (song "It's hard to be a saint in the City") (song "Jungleland") (song "She's the One")

Max und Sandy (1978) (TV) (song) ... aka Max & Sandy (West Germany)

Miscellaneous Crew:

Grand Theft Parsons (2003) (singer: "Blood Brothers") (special thanks)

People Like Us: Making 'Philadelphia' (2003) (V) (special thanks)

25th Hour (2002) (special thanks) (as Bruce 'Da Boss' Springsteen)

Laurel Canyon (2002) (special thanks)

Limbo (1999) (music producer: "Lift Me Up") (singer: "Lift Me Up")

Vietnam Long Time Coming (1998) (singer: "Shut Out the Light" and "String of Pearls")

The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996) (TV) (singer: "Dead Man Walkin'")

Dead Man Walking (1995) (special thanks)

The Crossing Guard (1995) (special thanks)

Canadian Bacon (1995) (special thanks)

The 66th Annual Academy Awards (1994) (TV) (singer: "Streets of Philadelphia")

Philadelphia (1993) (singer: "Streets of Philadelphia")

Peter's Friends (1992) (singer: "Hungry Heart")

The Indian Runner (1991) (inspiration: song "Highway Patrolman")

Light of Day (1987)

Ruthless People (1986) (singer: "Stand on It")

Risky Business (1983) (singer: "Hungry Heart")

Baby It's You (1983) (singer: "Adam Raised a Cain", "Jungleland", "It's Hard to Be a Saint in the City" and "E Street Shuffle and She's the One")

Awards & Nominations:

Grammy Awards:

Springsteen has won 12 Grammy Awards, with the first coming for the year 1984 and the most recent for 2004. Most notable:

Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male, 1984, "Dancing in the Dark"

Best Rock Vocal Performance, 1987, "Tunnel of Love"

Song of the Year, 1994, "Streets of Philadelphia" (which also won three other awards)

Best Contemporary Folk Album, 1996, The Ghost of Tom Joad

Best Rock Song, 2003, "The Rising" (which also won two other awards)

Academy Awards:

Academy Award for Best Song, 1993, "Streets of Philadelphia" from Philadelphia

Emmy Awards:

The Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band: Live In New York City HBO special won two technical awards in 2001.