Bruce Springsteen

**Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen** (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who is both a solo artist and the leader of the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he received critical acclaim for his early 1970s albums and attained worldwide fame upon the release of Born to Run in 1975. During a career that has spanned five decades, Springsteen has become known for his poetic and socially conscious lyrics and lengthy, energetic stage performances. He has been given the nickname "The Boss". He has recorded both rock albums and folk-oriented works, and his lyrics often address the experiences and struggles of working-class Americans.

Born in the U.S.A. (1984) is Springsteen's most commercially successful album, making him one of the most successful rock figures of the 1980s. It was certified 15× platinum in the US and has sold 30 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. Seven of its singles reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 including the title track, which was a bitter commentary on the treatment of Vietnam veterans — some of whom were Springsteen's friends. Advocating for the rights of the common working-class man, the song made a huge political impact. Springsteen's other best-known songs include "Born to Run" (1975), "Thunder Road" (1975), "Badlands" (1978), "Hungry Heart" (1980), "Dancing in the Dark" (1984), "Glory Days" (1985), "Brilliant Disguise" (1987), "Human Touch" (1992), "Streets of Philadelphia" (1994), and "The Rising" (2002).

Springsteen has sold more than 150 million records worldwide and more than 64 million records in the United States, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has earned numerous awards for his work, including 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, an Academy Award, and a Tony Award (for Springsteen on Broadway). Springsteen was inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2009, was named MusiCares person of the year in 2013, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in 2016.

## Links to Kershaw

Kershaw is a fan of Bruce Springsteen and even helped organise his concert at Leeds University, when he was studying there. He also played his music regularly on his shows and in an 2018 interview with The Mouth Magazine, praised the singer for his work:

> *"When you go along to a Bruce Springsteen concert, particularly when he’s playing with the E Street Band, in the space of just two-and-a-half hours you’re getting the entire history of not just rock ‘n’ roll, but the entire history of American popular music. There’s no-one who embodies an entire tradition like Bruce does."* [1]
>
>

In the same interview, he described the singer as an extraordinary performer for his age:

> *"Bruce is in a category of his own. At sixty-whatever, sixty seven or whatever he is now, he’s still the most extraordinary performer of our age. I saw Springsteen when he was 29, and I’ve seen him in the last couple of years. And he’s still the most extraordinary performer of the age."* [2]
>
>

However, Kershaw's close colleague at BBC Radio One, John Peel, did not have the same enthusiasm for the singer and could not understand the attraction of his music.

## Live

Recorded live at the ICC in Berlin 19-04-1996. First Broadcast: Andy Kershaw With Bruce Springsteen In Concert

1. The Ghost Of Tom Joad
2. Straight Time
3. Darkness On The Edge Of Town
4. Born In The USA
5. Dry Lightning
6. Youngstown
7. The Line
8. Across The Border
9. Streets Of Philadelphia
10. The Promised Land

Recorded live at the Amnesty Concert, Paris 10-12-1998. First Broadcast: 03 June 1999

1. Born In The USA
2. Working On The Highway
3. No Surrender

## Other Shows Played

1985
* 10 October 1985: Johnny 99 (LP - Nebraska) Columbia
* 05 December 1985: It's Hard To Be A Saint In The City

1987
* 16 July 1987: Factory (LP - Darkness On The Edge Of Town) CBS
* 15 October 1987: Cautious Man (LP - Tunnel Of Love) CBS

1989
* 05 November 1989: This Land Is Your Land (5xLP - Live 1975-85) CBS

1990
* 23 December 1990: Viva Las Vegas (2x v/a CD - The Last Temptation Of Elvis) New Musical Express

1992
* 01 March 1992: Mansion On The Hill (LP - Nebraska) Columbia
* 14 March 1992: Long Goodbye (CD Single - Human Touch) Columbia
* 21 March 1992: Human Touch (CD - Human Touch) Columbia
* 04 April 1992: Local Hero (LP - Lucky Town) Columbia

1993
* 01 May 1993: Thunder Road (album - In Concert / MTV Unplugged) Columbia 473860

1994
* 22 October 1994: Chimes Of Freedom (Live Version) (CD Single - Spare Parts) CBS

1995
* 19 March 1995: Badlands (CD - Greatest Hits) CBS/Sony
* 12 November 1995: The Ghost Of Tom Joad (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 12 November 1995: Galveston Bay (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 12 November 1995: Straight Time (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 12 November 1995: The New Timer (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 19 November 1995: Dry Lightning (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia

1996
* 14 January 1996: The New Timer (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 28 April 1996: Dry Lightning (CD - The Ghost Of Tom Joad) Columbia
* 19 May 1996: Johnny 99 (5xLP - Live 1975-85) CBS

1998
* 19 November 1998: The Ties That Bind (CD - The River) Columbia
* 19 November 1998: Growin' Up (CD - Tracks Sampler (From Boxed Set)) Columbia
* 03 December 1998: A Good Man Is Hard To Find (Pittsburgh) (4xCD - Tracks) Columbia
* 10 December 1998: Ricky Wants A Man Of Her Own (4xCD - Tracks) Columbia

1999
* 14 January 1999: Johnny Bye Bye (4xCD - Tracks) Columbia

2001
* 04 May 2001: Badlands (CD - Live In New York City) Columbia
* 02 November 2001: Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee) (v/a CD - 'Til We Outnumber 'Em (The Songs Of Woody Guthrie)) Righteous Babe

2002
* 10 May 2002: Chimes Of Freedom (Live) (CD Single) Columbia
* 12 July 2002: The Rising (CD Single) Columbia
* 06 September 2002: Into The Fire (CD - The Rising) Columbia

2003
* 11 April 2003: War (3xCD - Live / 1975-85) CBS
* 23 November 2003: From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) (3xCD - The Essential Bruce Springsteen) Columbia

2004
* 25 January 2004: From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) (3xCD - The Essential Bruce Springsteen) Columbia
* 07 March 2004: Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee) (v/a CD - 'Til We Outnumber 'Em (The Songs Of Woody Guthrie)) Righteous Babe

2005
* 27 March 2005: Chimes Of Freedom (Live) (CD single - Spare Parts) CBS
* 19 June 2005: Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee) (v/a CD - 'Til We Outnumber 'Em (The Songs Of Woody Guthrie)) Righteous Babe

2006
* 29 January 2006: Johnny 99 (Giants Stadium, 8/19/85) (3xCD - Live/1975-85) CBS
* 14 May 2006: John Henry (CD - We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions) Columbia
* 28 May 2006: Jesse James (CD - We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions) Columbia
* 18 June 2006: Eyes On The Prize (CD - We Shall Overcome The Seeger Sessions) Columbia
* 18 June 2006: Jacobs Ladder (CD - We Shall Overcome - The Seeger Sessions) Columbia

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 2: Plane Wreck At Los Gatos (Deportee) (v/a album - 'Til We Outnumber 'Em (The Songs Of Woody Guthrie)) Righteous Babe

2022
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 16: Chimes Of Freedom (Live) (CD single - Spare Parts) CBS
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 18 (& Pete Seeger): Hobo's Lullaby (v/a album - Give US Your Poor) Appleseed

2023
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 24: From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) (album - The Essential Bruce Springsteen) Columbia

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs
* Official Website