“A good song takes on more meaning as the years pass by.”
At 75, Bruce Springsteen remains rock’s most magnetic poet laureate, commanding stages with the vitality of artists half his age. As revealed in the new documentary Road Diary, the Boss has evolved from the shaggy-haired rock prophet of the 1970s into what one might call the world’s most charismatic retired pipe fitter.
Alongside his beloved E Street Band, some celebrating a half-century of collaboration, Springsteen continues to transform three-hour concerts into near-religious experiences. His voice weathered like a fine bourbon, still soars through anthemic classics while finding new depths in elegantly elegiac recent works like “Last Man Standing.”
Off-stage, he’s achieved an elder statesman’s grace, splitting time between his horse farm in New Jersey and elegant homes in Florida. Yet the magic lies in how he carries both worlds — the grit and the glamour — with equal authenticity. As his wife Patti Scialfa notes, he’s the rare soul who can discuss vintage motorcycles and Italian opera with equal passion. In Springsteen’s universe, blue-collar poetry and jet-set sophistication aren’t contradictions — they’re complementary notes in life’s rich chorus.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
