Bruce Springsteen And Patti Scialfa Often ‘Didn’t Expose’ Their Kids to Fame

Bruce Springsteen recently revealed the difficulties of parenting in the face of rock star status. The twenty-time Grammy Award winner, who is currently 75, discussed how he and his wife, Patti Scialfa, 71, kept their kids’ upbringing out of the public eye in an interview with The Times.

Scialfa, who plays in Springsteen’s E Street Band, is also a musician. The rock icon and Scialfa have three children together: Evan, 34, Jessica, 32, and Samuel, 30.

Springsteen’s Explanation About Exposing Their Kids To Fame

Springsteen explained that their kids didn’t grow up constantly exposed to his fame. He recalled moments when, as children, they would hear his music and shout, “Bruce Springsteen!” It was their way of distinguishing between the figure they heard on the radio and the man they knew as their father.

“A lot of times, we just didn’t expose them to it,” Springsteen said. The children only attended a few concerts before retreating to their own activities, unaware of the scale of his stardom.

As the kids grew older, they began bringing friends to the shows, but Springsteen made sure they led lives apart from his fame. They each pursued their own passions, with Evan working in music, Jessica becoming a professional equestrian, and Samuel pursuing a career as a firefighter. This healthy distance from their father’s fame allowed them to live independent lives.

More on Springsteen’s Relationship with Scialfa

Springsteen also reflected on his relationship with Scialfa, whom he has been married to for 33 years. He praised her songwriting talent, acknowledging that she hasn’t always received the recognition she deserves, in part due to his own overwhelming public persona.

“She’s got a beautiful record about to come out,” Springsteen shared, though he joked that she has faced challenges being married to someone as widely recognized as him.

On stage, Springsteen sees himself as the “captain” of their performances, but at home, he’s more grounded in family duties, like driving their kids to school early in the morning. He spoke fondly of his deep friendship with Scialfa, which began when she was 17. They eventually became a couple in 1988, and their bond has grown stronger.

Springsteen noted that his children, despite his success, showed little interest in his work. Speaking previously to The New York Times, he described how they had their own musical heroes and rarely engaged with his music, which he saw as a testament to their well-rounded upbringing. “They’d be pretty blank-faced if someone mentioned a song title of mine,” he said, feeling reassured that they had carved out their own identities.

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Rumors of Retirement

In August, Springsteen squashed rumors of retirement and a farewell tour during a performance in Philadelphia. Addressing his audience, he bluntly stated, We ain’t doing no farewell tour bulls—.” He humorously added, “Hell no … Farewell to what? Thousands of people screaming your name? Yeah, I wanna quit that. That’s it. That’s all it takes. I ain’t goin’ anywhere.”

The E Street Band’s next stop is in Montreal on October 31, followed by dates across Europe, with performances scheduled into the summer of 2025. Additionally, fans can look forward to Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, which will premiere on Hulu and Disney+ on October 25.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with Bruce Springsteen right now. Come back here often for all Bruce Springsteen spoilers, news, and updates.

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