7 Making a Difference

CHAPTER 7 Making a Difference Bruce Springsteen was now a rock-and-roll superstar. He had a great family and had earned more money than he ever dreamed possible. Bruce wanted to make a difference. He believed rock music could change the world. He said, "I had serious ideas about rock music. Yeah, it was a circus and fun and a dance party—all of those things—but still a serious thing. I believed that serious things could be done with it. It had a power; it had a voice." September 11, 2001, was a terrible day for the United States. Almost three thousand innocent people lost their lives in terrorist attacks in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. Bruce was hit hard by the events, just like the rest of the country. A few days later, Bruce was

walking along the beach when he heard a man yell out to him. "Bruce!" the man said. "We need you!" Bruce understood what the man meant. Bruce's music had a way of helping people feel better during hard times. Many of those who had lost their lives on September 11 were from New Jersey. Some of them had been listening to Bruce Springsteen's music for decades. When Bruce heard about these fans, he'd place a surprise phone call to one of their loved ones to pay his respects. This small gesture gave comfort to those who were suffering.

September 11 On September 11, 2001, nineteen men hijacked, or seized control of, four US passenger airplanes. Two planes hit and destroyed the Twin Towers in New York City; one struck the Pentagon outside of Washington, DC; and the fourth plane crashed in a field in western Pennsylvania. Nearly three thousand people were killed. The men who hijacked the planes were terrorists belonging to a group called al-Qaeda. Terrorists use violence to frighten people into doing what they say. The September 11 attacks showed the worst in people. It was an awful day for the world. But good deeds happened that day, too. Strangers took care of one another. Firefighters, police officers, and citizens worked together to save lives.

Even before the attacks, Bruce had started working on a new album. Now, though, he felt compelled to create an album to comfort people as well as inspire them. He wanted to write songs that would unite Americans. He wanted to give them a feeling of hope and a sense of belonging. The album was called The Rising and was recorded with the E Street Band. This was the first time

the E Street Band had produced a new album together in over eighteen years! It came out in July 2002, almost one year after the attacks. The Rising was a smashing success. It sold over a half million copies its first week. It was Bruce's best-selling album since Born in the U.S.A. Bruce and the band went on another long tour—this time they played 120 shows in over eighty cities in fourteen months. Why was the Rising tour such a hit? Fans at the concerts felt a range of emotions. The lyrics of the title song, "The Rising," made them feel hopeful, while quieter songs like "You're Missing" made them stop and think about losing someone they loved. Bruce and the band knew how important their music was. E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg said, "Playing for a

country that was so much in pain from the events of 9/11 made the Rising tour so much more than a series of rock concerts. People looked to us—actually they looked to the music—to quiet their sorrows.... How could rock musicians meet these expectations? But somehow we did it." Bruce's music and lyrics made people feel good. But they were not the only way Bruce tried to help people. He also supported many causes over the years. Bruce devoted himself to helping the poor and their struggle with hunger. Often at concerts, he asked fans to donate cans of food. Volunteers would wait by the doors and collect the food. Then they would bring it to the local food bank in the city where Bruce was playing. Thousands of cans were collected at each show.