Grammy-winning singer Rick Springfield performs at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Sept. 21
From a press release:
It was announced today that Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and author Rick Springfield, known for hit songs like “Jessie’s Girl,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “Affair of the Heart,” and “Love Somebody,” will play at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe on Thursday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m.
Tickets, which are $43 for regular seating or $53 for premium seating, go on sale this Friday, June 23 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets, the Penn’s Peak box office (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe), and Roadies Restaurant and Bar (325 Maury Rd., Jim Thorpe). Penn’s Peak box office and Roadies Restaurant ticket sales are walk-up only; no phone orders.
Rick Springfield’s first love has always been music, a lifelong passion ignited after picking up his first guitar at the age of 12 in his native Australia. Mastering the craft of songwriting far preceded his accomplishments as an actor and best-selling author.
With 25 million records sold, a Grammy Award for his No. 1 smash hit “Jessie’s Girl,” and a whopping 17 Top 40 hits, including “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “An Affair of the Heart,” “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch,” Springfield has no intention of taking his foot off the accelerator.
“I put everything I’ve got into making records,” he says. “Sometimes people think they have you pegged, but I trust my music shows them otherwise.”
In the early ’70s, Springfield had a handful of hit records in his native Australia before emigrating to the United States. Bouncing between record labels and looking to make ends meet until his musical career took hold in the U.S., he resorted to acting and eventually landing the role of Dr. Noah Drake during the heyday and cult phenomenon of daytime TV’s “General Hospital.”
Simultaneously, the explosive success of his breakthrough 1981 album “Working Class Dog” was followed by “Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet,” “Living in Oz,” the “Hard to Hold” soundtrack, and “Tao,” establishing him as a multi-platinum superstar. Despite his original and unwavering passion for music, many at the time mistook Springfield for a soap star hoping to convert daytime success to a faux and possibly fleeting music career. History proves that nothing could have been further from the truth. Springfield is content to let his music and four decades of productivity speak for itself.
“If you pay attention to where I’ve put my time, who I really am becomes clear.” In addition to “General Hospital,” his other notable TV roles include a four-episode arc on “Californication,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “Drop Dead Diva,” “Hot in Cleveland,” and the 1994-1997 TV series “High Tide.”
Never one to be confined to the recording studio where the music is born, Springfield has toured for over 30 years, hand-delivering the hits to millions of fans worldwide during his legendary, high-energy live shows. Hardly content walking in his own footprints for very long, 2013 saw Springfield reinvent himself yet again performing for the first time as a purely solo act. Rick Springfield’s “stripped down” performances offered an intimate glimpse in to the amazing life he’s experienced through music, with personal stories introducing each song in the set.
Springfield’s latest musical effort is “Rocket Science,” his 18th studio album released through Frontiers Music. Written largely with his longtime collaborator and former bass player Matt Bissonette, the album delivers the expertly crafted wide-ranging pop rock songs Springfield is known for.
“I wanted the album to be very open and electric – rock and roll with some country elements, and always with great hooks,” he says.
The lyrics largely address matters of the heart with the irreverence, wit, and dark humor that has always permeated his work.
“The songs usually start with titles for me,” Springfield continues. “A title will catch my eye and inspire a lyric. Both Matt and I are happily married, but there’s some heartache on this one. You can’t just write about how everything is all good and bore people out of their minds. When different emotions come up, I just go with that. I don’t set out to write about anything in particular. I just look for something that feels true and that I can hopefully say in an interesting way.”
