Fascinating facts about Bruce Springsteen

Fascinating facts about Bruce Springsteen

The Boss turns 71! Here are interesting facts about the musical giant you need to know. 

Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen/ YouTube screenshot

East Coast Gold will be celebrating the music of The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, on his birthday today. We’ve got a one-hour special from 9-10am (repeated from 2-3pm) where we’ll play some of this rock star's biggest hits. 

In honour of his birthday, we bring you interesting facts about the star. 

Early life

Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949. His full name is Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. He loved spending time at his grandfather's house. He would go to visit him every Sunday. 

The young Springsteen was very naughty at school. There was even a petition by his fellow students to have him expelled.

READ: Bruce Springsteen drops new single ‘Letter To You’

Family

The 'I'm On Fire' hitmaker has had two spouses. Julianne Phillips, whom he married in 1985. Their marriage was short-lived. They divorced in 1989. After the divorce, Springsteen married Patti Scialfa in 1991. The two are still married. 

Springsteen has three children - Jessica, Sam, and Evan Springsteen. 

First performance

The star's first gig was opening for the Grammy Award-winning duo, Cheech & Chong. 

Music

The first song Springsteen learned to play was 'Twist and Shout' by the Beatles. 

He has also written a song for Elvis Presley called, 'Fire'. 

Springsteen was not the first person in his family to learn how to play an instrument. It was at the Bruce Springsteen Exhibit in New Jersey where the musician found out that one of his relatives was a musician -  a guitar player. 

To date, he has sold over 150-million records worldwide. He has released over 40 albums and his album, 'Born in the U.S.A.', is one of his most commercially-successful albums ever, selling over 30-million copies. 

Below are some of his biggest hits. 

Watch: Mini Bruce Lee, Ryusei Imai, has the most epic moves

Born To Run

Hungry Heart

I'm On Fire

Thunder Road

Streets of Philadelphia

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