Bruce Springsteen

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Bruce Springsteen, nicknamed 'The Boss', was born in 1949 in New Jersey. His blend of rock, folk and social awareness would see him dubbed the heir to Woody Guthrie and set him apart from his power rock contemporaries.

He began his career playing the New Jersey night club circuit with Steven Van Zandt, with whom he would later go on to form the E Street Band.

Springsteen's first albums, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. and The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (both 1973), were both praised by critics without finding much favour with the public. However, third album Born to Run brought him worldwide recognition; it was widely praised as a timeless classic and has since sold over six million in the US.

Legal wrangles with his ex-manager meant an enforced two year recording break, and fans had to wait until 1978 for his next studio album. Darkness on the Edge of Town showed a more political edge, touching on themes which he would return to throughout his career.

Double-album The River followed in 1980, before Springsteen bravely released the stark, depressing Nebraska (1982). It was a predictable commercial flop, but critics were bowled over and it won Rolling Stone's Album of the Year. 1984's Born in the USA resuscitated his career in terms of sales, as the critical darling produced an album of anthemic hits that sold over 15 million in the US. Famously, President Raegan praised Springsteen as a patriot due to the memorable title-track, missing its deeper anti-war message.

A five-LP live box-set released in 1986 sold over four million units, a remarkable figure for such an item. Tunnel of Love (1987) marked another change in style for The Boss - after the big and brash Born in the USA, Tunnel... was a sombre record reflecting on Springsteen's failing marriage to actress Julianne Phillips.

In 1994 Springsteen's performance of "Streets of Philadelphia", from the film Philadelphia, won him an Academy Award. Springsteen continued to tour (without the E Street Band) and record new material, including the well received The Ghost Of Tom Joad (1995). He was recognized by the industry with a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, the same year he reunited with the E Street Band. Bruce Springsteen released his 15th studio album Magic in 2007. It topped album charts all over the world and was widely praised by reviewers.

As a testimony to his writing skills his lyrics have been adapted to other musical genres, providing hits for Manfred Mann's Earth Band with "Blinded By The Light", and Patti Smith with "Because the Night".