Springsteen, Bruce Frederick

Springsteen, Bruce Frederick,1949–, American singer, guitarist, and songwriter, nicknamedThe Boss,b. Long Branch, N.J. Springsteen established himself as a singer and songwriter, as well as a stage showman, while playing in bands in cities along the shore of the NE United States during the late 1960s and early 70s. Backed by the E Street Band, he achieved success and lasting popularity with his 1975 recordBorn to Run.His songs, which have frequently drawn their inspiration from small towns and the Midwestern industrial heartland, often expound working-class themes and explore the effects of a decaying American dream. His other recordings includeThe River(1980), the soloNebraska(1982), and the enormously successfulBorn in the USA(1984). Springsteen displayed a more austere, less hard-edged style in such albums asTunnel of Love(1987) andThe Ghost of Tom Joad(1995). Once again backed up by the E Street Band, he returned to somber, emotionally compelling rock in his 9/11–themedThe Rising(2002) and later mixed a fluid, muscular rock with strongly melodic cuts inMagic(2007).

See his memoir,Born to Run(2016); biographies by D. Marsh (1979 and 1987; rev. ed. in 1 vol., 2003); J. S. Sawyers, ed.,Racing in the Street: The Bruce Springsteen Reader(2004); J. Cullen,Born in the U.S.A.(1997); E. Alterman,It Ain't No Sin to Be Glad You're Alive(1999); R. Coles,Bruce Springsteen's America(2003); G. Graff,The Ties That Bind: Bruce Springsteen A to E to Z(2005); J. Guterman,Runaway American Dream: Listening to Bruce Springsteen(2005); M. Dolan,Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll(2012).

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