Rick Springfield
Jay Gilbert
Rick Springfield and a guitar.
Rick Springfield
media release: Don’t call it a comeback, because Rick Springfield never really went away. The “Jessie’s Girl” guy consistently has released albums since his U.S. breakthrough in 1981 — to decreasing commercial success but steady critical acclaim. The 73-year-old’s latest, Automatic, drops days after his Madison performance and reportedly is loaded with guitar-driven power pop. Springfield (also an author and actor) peppers his live performances with cuts from across his long career. That said, he will always be synonymous with the 1980s, which might be why he hosts the weekly themed Working Class DJ show on Sirius XM Radio’s ’80s on 8 channel — where he plays deep cuts and lets loose with his humorous blur of charm and snark.