The strange story of how Bruce Springsteen befriended one of his fans
Over five decades and 20 classic albums, Bruce Springsteen has more than earned a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. During his induction speech, U2 frontman Bono said of Springsteen: “We call him ‘The Boss’. Well, that’s a bunch of crap. He’s not The Boss. He works for us. More than a boss, he’s the owner. Because more than anyone else, Bruce Springsteen owns America’s heart.”
Bono was correct in his appraisal of both Springsteen’s musical talent and his winning personality. On several occasions over his illustrious tenure as The Boss, Springsteen has made an effort to connect with his fans on a personal level to remind the world that rock stars are human beings too.
One such story occurred in the early 1980s during one of Springsteen’s many sold-out tours across North America. On a stop in St. Louis, he was enjoying some downtime at the cinema, ready to watch a Woody Allen film.
Appearing on the BBC’s The Graham Norton Show recently, Springsteen was prompted to recount the strange but heartwarming story. “So you were in a cinema in St. Louis… take it away,” Norton broached.
“I was in a cinema by myself on an off night from the tour in St. Louis watching Woody Allen’s Stardust Memories,” Springsteen remembered. “During which, Woody Allen is not necessarily so kind to his fans in the film. So, I had met a kid in the lobby who was there with his girlfriend and said, ‘Do you want to sit with us?’. So I said, ‘Ok’.”
Norton interjects: “See, already I’m thinking that’s just a hard ‘No’, isn’t it?”
“So I went, and I sat, and we watched the movie,” Springsteen continued. “And he says, ‘Is that how you feel about your fans?’ So I said, ‘Well, not so much’, and he says, ‘I’m gonna go home now. Will you come home with me and meet my parents?’ [laughs] And I said, ‘Ok’.”
“And so I went somewhere in St. Louis with this kid, and we walk in the door, and it’s about 11 o’clock at night, and he says ‘Mom mom!’ I have Bruce Springsteen with me. And she goes: ‘Who!?’ And he runs in his bedroom, and he comes out with the album and shows her the album cover and says [in an embarrassed and subdued voice] ‘Bruce Springsteen!’
“Of course, then she goes: ‘Oh my God! Let me make him some eggs.’ [laughs] So around midnight, I was sitting in a little house in St. Louis, having some eggs with this kid and his mom. And I saw them for decades after that, every time we came to town.”
Springsteen appreciated the encounter at the cinema just as much as the family had done. On another occasion, The Boss reflected on this strange relationship: “I felt so good that night. Because here are these strange people I didn’t know, they take you in their house, treat you fantastic, and this kid was real nice. They were real nice. That’s something that can happen to me that can’t happen to most people. And when it does happen, it’s fantastic.”
During his appearance on The Graham Norton Show in 2020, Springsteen told another heartwarming story; this time, a fan repaid their debts to The Boss by gifting him a guitar on the street. Watch the clip below.
