Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen Postpones Remainder of 2023 Tour

Music legend Bruce Springsteen has announced the postponement of the remainder of his 2023 tour with the E Street Band, now rescheduled for 2024. This decision comes as the iconic singer continues his recovery from peptic ulcer disease. In a statement, Springsteen expressed gratitude to his friends and fans, saying, “Thanks to all of my friends and fans for your good wishes, encouragement, and support. I’m on the mend and can’t wait to see you all next year.”

The “Glory Days” artist, who recently celebrated his 74th birthday, had previously postponed eight shows in September. The latest round of postponements affects performances in major cities including Phoenix, San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and various locations throughout Canada, bringing the total number of postponed shows to 22, according to the Associated Press. Makeup dates for these performances are expected to be announced soon. This tour marks Springsteen’s first collaboration with the E Street Band since 2017.

Peptic ulcer disease involves the formation of ulcers in the stomach and small intestine, leading to symptoms such as heartburn, nausea, and abdominal pain. While the condition can result in complications, a gastroenterologist stated that individuals who receive appropriate treatment generally recover completely.

Who Is Bruce Springsteen?

Bruce Springsteen, an iconic figure in the music industry, began his illustrious career by performing in the bar circuit of New Jersey while forming his renowned E Street Band. His breakthrough album, Born to Run, released in 1975, masterfully combined arena rock with poignant narratives of working-class America. With over 65 million albums sold in the United States and numerous accolades, including 20 Grammy Awards, Springsteen is widely regarded as one of the most successful musicians in history. He is also recognized for his commitment to left-leaning political causes and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama in 2016.

Early Life

Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey, and grew up in a working-class family in Freehold Borough. His father, Doug Springsteen, faced challenges maintaining steady employment, working variously as a bus driver, millworker, and prison guard. In contrast, his mother, Adele, provided a more stable income as a secretary in a local insurance office.

Springsteen’s relationship with his father was tumultuous. Reflecting on his childhood, he once remarked, “When I was growing up, there were two things that were unpopular in my house: one was me, and the other was my guitar.” Despite this difficult dynamic, Springsteen later acknowledged the significance of this relationship in shaping his artistic expression. Upon his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, he expressed gratitude, stating, “I’ve gotta thank him… what would I conceivably have written about without him?… My parents’ experience forged my own. They shaped my politics, and they alerted me to what is at stake when you’re born in the U.S.A.”

Springsteen’s passion for rock ‘n’ roll ignited when he witnessed Elvis Presley perform on The Ed Sullivan Show. He recalled, “[Elvis] was as big as the whole country itself… he just embodied the essence of it.” For his 16th birthday, Springsteen’s mother took out a loan to purchase a $60 Kent guitar, which he has played ever since.

A somewhat outsider and recluse in school, Springsteen frequently found himself in trouble at his Catholic elementary institution. He recounted, “In the third grade, a nun stuffed me in a garbage can under her desk because she said that’s where I belonged.” He also noted that he was “the only altar boy knocked down by a priest during mass.” Years later, he skipped his high school graduation, overwhelmed by anxiety about attending.

In 1967, at the age of 18, Springsteen was drafted into military service for the Vietnam War. However, he later revealed to Rolling Stone magazine that his only thought during induction was, “I ain’t goin’.” Through intentionally erratic behavior and a concussion sustained from a motorcycle accident, he failed his physical examination. This 4-F classification—indicating unfitness for military service—liberated him from deployment to Vietnam, allowing him to focus on his music career.

“The Boss” and the E Street Band

By the late 1960s, Bruce Springsteen had settled in Asbury Park on the New Jersey Shore, where he immersed himself in the local music scene, performing with various bands as he cultivated his distinctive sound and gravelly baritone voice. It was during this period that he met the musicians who would later form the E Street Band. Springsteen also acquired his enduring nickname, “The Boss,” due to his practice of collecting the earnings from performances and distributing the proceeds evenly among his bandmates.

In April 2014, the E Street Band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, solidifying their legacy in music history.

Albums and Songs

Springsteen’s music is often classified within the “heartland rock” genre, which, according to the University of Idaho, addresses themes of isolation prevalent in the working-class experience. He is frequently compared to contemporaries such as John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, and Bob Seger.

A testament to his enduring popularity, Springsteen became the first artist to achieve a top-five album in six different decades with the release of Letter to You in 2020.

According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Springsteen has been recognized with 15 platinum-certified and two diamond-certified albums throughout his illustrious career. His most commercially successful album, Born in the U.S.A., released in 1984, has sold over 17 million copies and features iconic tracks such as “Cover Me,” “Glory Days,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and the titular song. Other notable albums include Born to Run (1975), The River (1980), and the compilation Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 1975-85 (1986).

Over the course of his career, Springsteen has secured 12 songs that reached the Billboard Top 10, including “Hungry Heart,” “I’m on Fire,” “Tunnel of Love,” and “My Hometown.” Notably, none of these tracks have reached the No. 1 position, with “Dancing in the Dark” peaking at No. 2 in 1984.

Springsteen on Broadway

In 2017, Springsteen debuted on Broadway with Springsteen on Broadway, a solo performance at the Walter Kerr Theatre where he shared anecdotes from his life while performing some of his greatest hits. His compelling presentation earned him a special Tony Award in June 2018, which was presented by fellow musician Billy Joel. Springsteen concluded this critically acclaimed show at the end of that year.

The following summer, his music inspired the film Blinded by the Light, which tells the story of a British-Pakistani teenager finding hope and identity through Springsteen’s songs. Director Gurinder Chadha noted that Springsteen expressed his gratitude for the film, stating, “Thank you for looking after me so beautifully.”

Net Worth

As of September 2023, Celebrity Net Worth estimates Springsteen’s total net worth at approximately $650 million. His financial portfolio received a significant boost in December 2021 when he sold his music catalog to Sony for an estimated $550 million. This sale included separate agreements for his recorded work and songwriting rights, with Sony owning the Columbia record label under which he has worked for much of his career. At the time of the sale, Springsteen remarked, “During the last 50 years, the men and women of Sony Music have treated me with the greatest respect as an artist and as a person. I’m thrilled that my legacy will continue to be cared for by the company and people I know and trust.”

Marriages and Children

Following the surge of commercial success that accompanied Born in the U.S.A., Springsteen married actress Julianne Phillips in 1985. However, the marriage faced difficulties, leading to Springsteen’s affair with E Street Band backup singer Patti Scialfa, who shared his working-class New Jersey roots. Phillips filed for divorce in 1989.

Springsteen and Scialfa moved in together, welcoming two children: a son named Evan and a daughter named Jessica, before marrying in 1991. Their youngest son, Samuel, was born in 1994.

Jessica Springsteen is a professional equestrian who began riding at the family farm in Colts Neck Township, New Jersey. She competed for Team USA at the 2020 Olympics—postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic—and earned a silver medal in team jumping.

Samuel Springsteen is a firefighter for Jersey City, New Jersey. He and his partner welcomed their daughter, Lily Harper Springsteen, in 2022, marking Bruce and Patti’s first experience as grandparents.

Politics

Springsteen’s liberal political views became increasingly evident as he actively supported Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. Following Obama’s election victory, “The Rising” was the first song played at the victory celebration, and Springsteen opened the show at the inaugural festivities.

In 2009, during a ceremony honoring Springsteen at the Kennedy Center, Obama remarked, “I may be the President, but he is The Boss.” Springsteen continued to support Obama, campaigning for his reelection in 2012. In 2016, Obama awarded Springsteen the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Additionally, Springsteen was a featured performer during a prime-time virtual celebration for Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration in 2021.