1949 September 23 Bruce Frederick Springsteen born to Douglas & Adele of Freehold, NJ. Bruce was later brought to the family home on Institute St. 1972 May 1 Bruce signs on with his first manager, Mike Appel. May 2 Auditions for Mike Hammond at Columbia records. Cuts a demo for Mary Queen of Arkansas which is the opening track on Tracks. June 9 Signs with Columbia Records and begins to put together the E Street Band from various Asbury Park ex-band mates. 1973 January 5 Debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ, released. November 5 Releases debut follow-up, The Wild, The Innocent & The E Street Shuffle. 1975 August 13-17 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band play a five night, sold-out, stand at the Bottom Line in New York City. The shows receive rave reviews and create a buzz in the music industry. September 1 Born to Run released - history is made. Music critics rave about the album. October 27 Bruce Springsteen makes the covers of Time and Newsweek magazines. 1977 May 28 Lawsuit settled between Springsteen and Appel out of court. Appel wanted greater control of the band and tried to prevent Springsteen from making records with producer Jon Landau. Springsteen has filed the suit more than a year earlier. 1978 June 2 Releases the Jon Landau produced album Darkness on the Edge of Town. 1980 October 17 Releases double-album The River. The next day Hungry Heart is released as a single and hits number five on the chart - Springsteen's first ever top 10 popular hit. 1982 September 20 Releases Nebraska to good reviews but luke warm sales. 1984 June 4 Releases Born in the U.S.A.. Album spends four weeks at number one on the album charts. Four days later Springsteen starts his most successful tour ever with a surprise show at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. June 29 Vocalist Patti Scialfa joins the E Street Band. 1985 February 26 Bruce Springsteen wins his first Grammy for Best Male Vocal Performance: Dancing in the Dark. May 13 Marries actress/model Julianne Philips in Oregon state. 1986 November 4 Releases the first ever "box set", Live/1975-85. The box set is available as five LPs, three CDs or cassette tapes. 1987 October 6 Releases Tunnel of Love. This is the last original material album with the E Street Band to date. 1988 August 30 Julianne Phillips files for divorce. September 2 Plays opening show for the Amnesty International tour at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. This tour marks the last time Springsteen plays with the E Street band until the 1999 Tracks tour. 1989 March 1 Divorce with Julianne Phillips finalized. November 13 People magazine reports that Springsteen has "fired" the E Street Band. 1990 July 25 Evan James born to Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa in Los Angeles. 1991 June 8 Marries Patti Scialfa at their Beverly Hills mansion. December 30 Daughter Jessica Rae is born to Patti and Bruce again in Los Angeles. 1992 March 31 Releases Human Touch and Lucky Town as two separate albums. Both receive cold reviews. May 9 To promote his new albums, Springsteen makes his network television debut on Saturday Night Live. September 22 To further promote his new albums, Springsteen plays MTV Unplugged but insists he plays electric. Bruce plays only Red Headed Woman acoustically. Records In Concert/MTV Unplugged. 1993 June 25 On David Letterman's last show on NBC's Late Night, Springsteen is a guest and plays Glory Days for the audience. Letterman seems genuinely touched by the performance. 1994 January 5 Third child, Sam Ryan, born to Patti and Bruce. March 21 Streets of Philadelphia wins an Oscar for Best Original Song from the film Philadelphia. In his acceptance speech, Bruce says, "Thanks for inviting me to your party." 1995 March 1 Streets of Philadelphia wins three Grammys: Song of the Year, Best Male Vocal Performance, and Best Rock Song. March 18 Releases Greatest Hits - CD immediately goes to number one and includes never before released tracks recorded with the E Street Band including Murder Inc. and Blood Brothers. November 25 Releases The Ghost of Tom Joad. Springsteen begins solo acoustic tour. 1997 February 26 The Ghost of Tom Joad wins Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. 1998 April 26 Springsteen's father, Douglas Springsteen, dies of cancer. November 10 Releases the four CD set Tracks. Speculation mounts concerning an E Street Band reunion and tour. 1999 March 8 European tour dates announced for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour. The tour will start in Barcelona Spain on April 9. The tour will hit the States in mid-July with a 15 night stand in New Jersey and will continue into 2000. March 15 Springsteen is inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame by U2's Bono. March 18 & 19 Springsteen and the E Street band surprise fans by playing two practice shows in Convention Hall, Asbury Park. Fans rave about the new version of Youngstown and The River that will become regular features of the reunion tour. September 24 The day after Springsteen's 50th birthday, he starts the show at the Philadelphia Spectrum by playing a tape for the audience sent to his mother by a family friend. The tape is of an older woman singing a silly song about turning 50. Bruce and the band then tear into the tour premier of Growin' Up. The show continues with such rarities as Does This Bus Stop At 82nd Street?, The Fever, and Blinded By The Light. 2000 July 1 Springsteen and The E Street Band end their Reunion tour with a ten night stand at New York's MSG (the last three shows are video taped by a camera crew). On the last night, Bruce ends the shows with Blood Brothers including a new third verse written especially for the tour. Bruce says, "We'll be seeing ya." as he and the band leave the stage. 2001 April 3 Releases Live in New York City - a double CD recorded during the last two nights of the Reunion Tour. This package is the soundtrack for the HBO live concert and future DVD release. It debuts at number five on the Billboard chart. Bruce shows up unexpectedly at Jack Music in Red Bank, NJ, at midnight to meet over 200 fans who come out to be the first to purchase the new live set. Everyone gets their new CD signed by the man himself.