Bruce Springsteen (1949– ), born on this day in Freehold, New Jersey, has always been more than a rock ’n’ roll star. Time magazine once called him “the best rock ’n’ roll singer of his era,” but Bruce has always been something deeper, a witness to our time, a beacon of hope, and a passionate revelation.

From his first album, Greetings from Asbury Park (1973), to his marathon concerts that leave souls lifted, Bruce plays with a spirit that refuses to hold back. “You’re a witness... a witness to your time,” he explained. And that’s exactly what he is — second chances set to music, joy wrapped in poetry, a reminder that it’s no sin to be glad you’re alive.

In the late ’80s, during his Tunnel of Love years, Bruce sang about love with the same raw honesty he brought to the streets and working towns: tender and true. Guitar in hand, smile wide, heart wide open… he still proves it every night, turning music into a kind of communion where belief and hope meet.