Bruce Springsteen is an American singer-songwriter who has had a successful career both as a solo artist and as the leader of the E Street Band. He is known for his work with social issues, particularly those relating to the working class, and has earned critical acclaim for his songwriting and live performances. His most famous albums include Born to Run (1975) and The River (1980). He has also been active in film, appearing in such movies as High Fidelity (2000) and Philadelphia (1993). In addition to his work as a musician, Springsteen has also released several books, including an autobiography, Songs (2002), and a collection of essays, Dreams from My Father (2004). He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999.
Bruce Springsteen was born on September 23, 1949, in Long Branch, New Jersey. His father, Douglas Frederick Springsteen, was a bus driver, and his mother, Adele Ann (née Zerilli), was a legal secretary. He has two sisters: Virginia and Pamela. Springsteen grew up in Freehold Borough, New Jersey. As a teenager, he played guitar in various local bands. He attended Catholic schools but was not religious. He later said that his experience at the all-boys Catholic high school Our Lady of Mercy Academy prepared him for the challenges he would face as a musician and helped shape his work ethic.
After high school, Springsteen briefly attended Ocean County College but dropped out. He then took classes at Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey, where he studied composition and communication.
Springsteen's debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., was released in 1973 to mixed reviews but steadily increasing sales. His next album, The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973), was more successful, and its title track became one of his signature songs. Springsteen achieved mainstream popularity with his 1975 album Born to Run, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and featured the top-ten singles "Born to Run" and "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out". With its heartland rock sound and Springsteen's poetic lyrics, Born to Run earned critical acclaim.
During a time when many artists were experimenting with different musical styles, Springsteen stuck to his roots, which he credits with helping him achieve long-term success. "I think people respond to that because you're being yourself," he told Rolling Stone in 1985. "It's not put on."
Springsteen has continued to tour and release new music throughout his career. His most recent album, High Hopes (2014), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. He has also been involved in several film projects, including the soundtrack for the 1987 film Born in the U.S.A., which featured some of his most popular songs. Springsteen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. He has won 20 Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes and an Academy Award. In 2009, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama.
