Claim: Bruce Springsteen was the recipient of an honor.

Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen -LRB- born September 23 , 1949 -RRB- is an American singer-songwriter . He is known for his work with the E Street Band . Nicknamed `` The Boss '' , Springsteen is widely known for his brand of poetic lyrics , Americana , working class and sometimes political sentiments centered on his native New Jersey , his distinctive voice , and his lengthy and energetic stage performances -- with concerts from the 1970s to the present decade running at up to four hours in length .   Springsteen 's recordings have included both commercially accessible rock albums and more somber folk-oriented works . His most successful studio albums , Born to Run -LRB- 1975 -RRB- and Born in the U.S.A. -LRB- 1984 -RRB- , find pleasures in the struggles of daily American life . He has sold more than 120 million records worldwide and more than 64 million records in the United States , making him one of the world 's best-selling artists of all time . He has earned numerous awards for his work , including 20 Grammy Awards , two Golden Globes , and an Academy Award as well as being inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1999 . In 2009 , Springsteen was a Kennedy Center Honors recipient , in 2013 was named MusiCares person of the year and in 2016 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom .   He married Patti Scialfa in 1991 , and the couple have had three children -- Evan James , Jessica Rae and Sam Ryan .