Bruce Springsteen has been happily married to his longtime love and E Street Band guitarist, Patti Scialfa, since 1991. From starting out as friends to falling in love on tour, keep reading for all the details of their epic love story…
Who is Bruce Springsteen's wife and bandmate Patti Scialfa?
Patti Scialfa is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Born in Deal, New Jersey on the Jersey Shore, the budding musician began writing songs from an early age and attended the University of Miami's jazz conservatory at the Frost School of Music. Patti eventually decided to transfer to New York University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in music.
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How did Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa meet?
Patti and Bruce met during the early 80s at a music venue called the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey. After watching one of Patti's performances on stage, Bruce approached the singer and complimented her on her voice, which led to a blossoming friendship.
© Getty"It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. We had a beer together, sat at a table, and talked. After that, I would go down every Sunday and sing, and sometimes he would be there. He knew I lived in New York and that I didn't have a car, so he would offer to drop me off at my mom's," Patti recalled.
Bruce has also reflected on their first meeting in interviews. "She [Patti] came out and played onstage with, it might have been Bobby Bandiera or, I forget which local band was playing. But she came out and played the Exciters' hit 'Tell Him,' and she was very striking right from the beginning," he said.
© GettyBruce later invited Patti to join the E Street Band in 1984, just days before his 'Born in the U.S.A. Tour' was set to commence. Patti has been a part of the band ever since, and in 2014, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as one of the band's key members.
When did Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa start dating?
During the early days of their friendship, Bruce was married to his first wife – actress Julianne Phillips – so he and Patti had never contemplated dating. However, by the spring of 1988, the couple had decided to separate, with their split being kept under wraps.
© GettyShortly after their separation, Bruce and Patti, who had allegedly fallen for one another during his 'Tunnel of Love Express Tour' (1988), started dating. "Patti's been in love with Bruce for as long as I can remember," her high school art teacher Curtis K. Smith famously told People magazine in 1988.
"We'd always heard this and that about Patti and Bruce from [her brother] Michael. It wasn't a big surprise around here when it finally came into the open."
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa's wedding
Bruce and Patti married in 1991 at their $14 million Mediterranean mansion in Beverly Hills, California. According to People, the couple held a moving candlelight ceremony in which they exchanged rings and vows that they had written themselves. Their E Street bandmates were all in attendance, with the exception of Clarence Clemons.
Bruce sported a classic black tuxedo, while his bride opted for a floor-length white gown adorned with pearl teardrops.
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa's family life
Prior to their wedding, Bruce and Patti had already welcomed a bouncing baby boy named Evan James, in 1990. Their second child, daughter Jessica Rae, was born in 1991 and their youngest son, Samuel 'Sam' Ryan, was born in 1994.
© GettyAs of 2022, Patti and Bruce are proud grandparents to Sam's daughter, Lily Harper Springsteen.
