She attended The Boss’s concerts well into her 90s

Adele Springsteen dancing with Bruce Springsteen on stage in 2012 [Ike Richman]

Adele Ann Springsteen, the mother of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Bruce Springsteen, has died. The news was confirmed on Bruce’s official social media. Adele was 99 years old.

“I remember in the morning mom hearing your alarm clock ring,” Springsteen wrote on social media. “I’d lie in bed and listen to you getting ready for work, the sound of your makeup case on the sink. And the ladies at the office all lipstick, perfume and rustling skirts, how proud and happy you always looked walking home from work.”

Bruce then quoted his song, “The Wish,” as part of the tribute.

“It ain’t no phone call on Sunday, flowers or a Mother’s Day card. It ain’t no house on the hill with a garden and a nice little yard. I’ve got my hot rod down on Bond Street I’m older but you’ll know me in a glance. We’ll find us a Little rock ‘n roll bar and we’ll go out and dance.”

Adele Zerilli was born on May 4, 1925 in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, New York. She married Douglas Springsteen in 1948. Their son, Bruce, was born on September 23, 1949. The couple went on to have two more children, daughters Virginia and Pamela.

In his memoir, Born to Run, The Boss credited his mom, Adele, and his aunts, Dora Kirby and Eda Urbelis, with igniting his passion for music.

“My mom loved music, Top 40 music; the radio was always on in the car and in the kitchen in the morning,” Bruce wrote. “From Elvis on out, my sister and I shuffled out of bed and downstairs to be greeted by the hit records of the day pouring out of the tiny radio that sat on the top of our refrigerator.”

Years later, Adele Springsteen bought Bruce his very first guitar at Diehl’s Music on South Street in Freehold, New Jersey, which ended up being displayed at the Springsteen: His Hometown exhibit at the Monmouth County (NJ) Historical Society.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Bruce Springsteen 2022 Danny Clinche
Bruce Springsteen [Danny Clinche]

This summer, Bruce Springsteen is returning to Europe and the UK for a full stadium tour. The trek kicks off on 5 May at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales and wraps up on 25 July at Wembley Stadium in London, UK. The run features stops in Belfast, Dublin, Prague, Madrid, Barcelona, Hannover, Helsinki, Stockholm, and more. Tickets go on sale on various days at different times this week. Check the full tour itinerary below for dates, venues, and on-sale information.

After previously postponing the rest of his North American tour dates this year, Springsteen has confirmed the rescheduled shows for this spring. The Boss is still recovering from a medical issue, and has taken the advice of his doctors to rest until next year. The new run of shows kicks off on March 19 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona and wraps up on September 13 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. The newly announced stadium run across Europe and the UK will take place in-between two North American tour legs.

All tickets for the postponed performances remain valid for the newly announced dates. Information about each individual show, including details regarding refunds, is available through the official ticketing company for the specific date. Fans can request a refund within the next 30 days for the newly postponed shows. If fans bought tickets through a third party service (e.g. StubHub, Vivid Seats, etc.), they will have to contact that service for their refund policy.

On September 7, Springsteen and The E Street Band postponed all remaining September tour dates, beginning with their show scheduled for the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York. Springsteen had previously cancelled his Philadelphia performances on August 16 and 18. It as revealed in a statement that Springsteen was “recovering steadily” from peptic ulcer disease.

“Thanks to all my friends and fans for your good wishes, encouragement, and support,” Springsteen said. “I’m on the mend and can’t wait to see you all next year.”

Springsteen recently appeared on the new song from fellow New Jersey rockers The Gaslight Anthem, “History Books.” It is the title track of the band’s forthcoming studio album. The music video for the song is out now. 

“When Bruce Springsteen said I should write a duet for us, I think my head exploded,” says frontman The Gaslight Anthem frontman Brian Fallon. “It will never get old to me that one of the greatest songwriters in the world, and one of my hero’s voices, will forever be captured in a song I wrote at a small wooden desk, in October, in New Jersey.”

Springsteen and The E Street Band’s most recent studio album, 2020’s Letter To You (Columbia Records), marked their first time recording live together in decades and debuted at #1 in eleven countries.

Bruce’s latest studio album Only The Strong Survive arrived last November via Columbia Records. The covers outing is a collection of fifteen soul music classics. Featuring lead vocals by Springsteen, Only The Strong Survive celebrates soul music gems from the legendary catalogues of Motown, Gamble and Huff, Stax and many more. This 21st studio album from Bruce Springsteen will also feature guest vocals by Sam Moore, as well as contributions from The E Street Horns, full string arrangements by Rob Mathes, and backing vocals by Soozie Tyrell, Lisa Lowell, Michelle Moore, Curtis King Jr., Dennis Collins and Fonzi Thornton.

Only The Strong Survive was tracked at Thrill Hill Recording in New Jersey, produced by Ron Aniello, engineered by Rob Lebret and executive produced by Jon Landau.