Bruce Springsteen, born September 23, 1949, is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. He has released 21 studio albums, the majority of which involve his support band, the E Street Band.

He is a heartland rock pioneer, fusing popular rock elements with narrative songs about working-class American life. He was born on the Jersey Shore.

His career, dubbed “the Boss,” spanned six decades. Springsteen is known for his poetic, socially conscious lyrics as well as his frantic theatrical concerts that sometimes last up to four hours.

Why is Springsteen called the boss?

During this time, Springsteen earned the moniker “the Boss” because he was in charge of collecting and distributing his band’s nightly salary.

Springsteen’s nickname is also said to have come from Monopoly games he used to play with other Jersey Shore artists.

Clive Davis brought Springsteen to Columbia Records in 1972 after sparked the interest of John Hammond, who had signed Bob Dylan to the same label a decade earlier.

Despite Columbia Records executives’ hopes that Springsteen would record an acoustic album, he brought in many of his New Jersey-based colleagues and assembled the E Street Band (although the band would not be formally named for several months).

His debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey, released in January 1973, established him as a critical darling, despite poor sales.