Bruce Springsteen may be one of rock’s most seasoned performers — with a career spanning more than 50 years — but he doesn’t take the ritual of getting onstage for granted. Before nearly every concert, the New Jersey native plays a specific artist’s music backstage as part of a personal pre-show ritual designed to keep him grounded and authentic, no matter the size of the crowd.
Long before he became “The Boss,” Springsteen was shaped by the pioneers of early rock and roll. Among his musical heroes, Buddy Holly stands out — not just for his influence on an entire generation of songwriters, but for the way Holly’s music embodied raw honesty and emotional truth without the trappings of ego.
Springsteen has said that playing Holly’s music before he takes the stage helps him stay connected to his roots and avoid the trap of rock-and-roll excess — the arrogance, self-indulgence and complacency that can creep in as success grows. “I just try to… I play Buddy Holly every night before I go on,” he once explained. “That keeps me honest.”
For Springsteen, that pre-show ritual isn’t just about tradition; it’s a reminder of the artistry and simplicity that first inspired him to play music. Holly’s career — launched as an ordinary Midwestern kid whose powerful songs reshaped the 1950s — mirrors Springsteen’s own origins as a working-class songwriter from Long Branch, New Jersey. Keeping Holly’s sound in his ears before every performance serves as a subconscious recalibration of purpose and identity.
That sense of staying true to one’s roots also explains why Springsteen approaches every live show with a fresh mindset. Even after decades of performing, he famously treats each gig as if it were his first night ever onstage, drawing from a vast catalog of songs and sometimes rearranging setlists on the fly.
In a career defined by endurance, powerful live connection and storytelling depth, that simple ritual — a few moments with Holly’s music before the spotlight — underscores a bigger truth: for Springsteen, authenticity isn’t automatic; it’s practiced.
