Rick Springfield-Biography-www.rockoflife.net

Rick Springfield has withstood the test of time far better than most critics would ever have imagined writing and performing some of the best-crafted power pop of the past 30 years. A much sought after and highly accomplished lead guitarist in his native Australia, he garnered his first U.S. success with a re-recording of his Australian hit "Speak to the Sky" (Capitol, 1972, #14). Rick went on to record the masterful Wait For Night, only to have the album abandoned promotionally when the parent record label collapsed in 1976. A breakthrough came when Rick was able to secure a recording contract with RCA on the strength of his next batch of demos. In the midst of recording what would become the quintessential pop album Working Class Dog, for his debut on the RCA label, Rick was cast to play the young, eligible Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital in 1981. Rick's popularity skyrocketed, setting the stage for the imminent release of Working Class Dog later that year. Powered by 3 Top 40 hits including the classic the classic Number One Hit Jessie's Girl, (RCA, 1981, # 1) and the Top Ten follow-up I've Done Everything for You, (RCA, 1981, #8) as well as the party-starter, Love is Alright Tonite, Working Class Dog enjoyed multi-platinum smash success. The follow-up album, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, again reached multi-platinum certification after its release in 1982, spawning the smash hit Don't Talk to Strangers (RCA, 1982, #2); 1983's Living in Oz took an edgier stance musically, spawning the Top Ten Hit Affair of the Heart. (RCA, 1983, #9) as well as the crowd pleasing arms-in-the-air hit Human Touch (RCA, 1983, #18) When Springfield made his big screen debut in 1984 for the movie Hard to Hold, the soundtrack found Rick with another Top Five hit, Love Somebody. (RCA, 1984, #5) Rick's recording career continued with Tao (1985), and 1988's Rock of Life. Rick took time off from recording to settle in with family life and subsequently released Sahara Snow in 1997, his first full album of collaborative work with Tim Pierce and Bob Marlette. Karma , released in 1998, coincided with Rick's full blown return to the concert stage performing to sell out crowds as fans clamored to the internet, hungry for word of Rick's return to their hometown. The power of the critically acclaimed shock/denial/anger/acceptance (2004) propelled Rick onward, touring continuously through 2004 into 2005. The "Shock Tour" culminated with a raucous cold-out concert in Rockford, IL. Rick has sold over 19 million records while charting a whopping 17 Top 40 hits to date. Having performed for millions of fans over the last three decades, and showing no signs of slowing down, Rick continues to play 100 shows a year, sharing his love of performing, unstoppable energy and his unique brand of crowd interaction with thousands of fans each night. Rick literally wades deep into the crowd at each show. Rick Springfield is currently on tour to support his new release "venus in Overdrive".

Rick Springfield started playing piano at age 9. He began playing the guitar at age 13, and writing songs at 14. In 1967, Springfield dropped out of high school to begin his professional music career. His first appearance in a band was as a singer/guitarist in the band Rock House. In 1968, the band changed the name to MPD, Ltd, then embarked on a tour of Vietnam to entertain the troops stationed there.

In 1969, when Springfield returned to Australia, he formed a band named Wikety-Wak. Later that year, he joined the band Zoot. Zoot became one of the most popular Australian groups of the late Sixties. Another notable member of Zoot was Beeb Birtles, who, in 1975 went on to form the Little River Band. In May 1971, when Zoot broke up, Springfield began a solo career. He had a #1 hit single in Australia, "Speak to the Sky."

Springfield relocated to Hollywood, California in 1972. Capitol Records signed him, and he recorded his first album "Beginnings." Speak To The Sky was re-released as a single in the US. Exposure on American Bandstand, as well as being regularly featured in teen fan magazines like 16 magazine and Tiger Beat, sparked interest amongst teenage girls. In 1973 a Saturday morning cartoon called Mission:Magic was centered around Springfield and ran for one year, with a soundtrack album also released.

Because of an unsubstantiated rumor that the record company was paying people to purchase the album, radio stations became suspicious and they stopped playing Springfield. He was subsequently dropped from the Capitol Records label. However, in 1973 he was signed by Columbia Records, who released his second album Comic Book Heroes (1974). It was hailed as a "concept record" but it failed to chart. He was dropped from that label as well. Plans to release an album entitled "Springfield" were also scrapped.

In 1976, Springfield released a third album Wait For Night under the Chelsea Records label. While Springfield was out touring to promote the album, the record company went bankrupt, and the album fell off the charts. Throughout the rest of the 1970s, Springfield performed in various clubs, but was unable to maintain a career at the top of the charts.

Acting Career
Because of various issues regarding his recording career, Springfield decided to branch off into acting.

Springfield had starred in the cartoon series Mission: Magic, produced by Filmation in 1973, where he appears in the animated format, along with the teacher Miss Tickle and her teenaged students.

In 1978, He became one of the last contract actors signed to Universal Studios, and appeared in several guest roles including The Incredible Hulk and The Rockford Files. He had a successful acting career, beginning with a brief role as Zac in the 1978 movie Battlestar Galactica. He also had a small recurring role on the soap opera The Young and The Restless.

In 1981, Springfield became a soap opera star on General Hospital. He played the role of Dr. Noah Drake from 1981 through 1983, while simultanously going on tour with his band.

In 1984, Springfield made one full length feature film "Hard To Hold." It was considered a box office failure, but the movie did produce a successful soundtrack with a top ten song "Love Somebody." Despite the fact that he plays a young rock star in the movie, in real life Springfield was already in his 30s, had become a husband and father, and was growing uncomfortable with the teen idol image he portrayed.

Throughout the 1990s, Springfield acted in several several made for TV movies, and had appearances in television shows such as Suddenly Susan. From 1994 to 1996, he also starred in the detective series, High Tide.

In addition to the roles on television and in film, Springfield also acted in musical theatre. In 1995, he was a member of the original Broadway cast of the musical Smokey Joe's Cafe. This Tony Award nominated musical featured the songs of rock & roll songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. From February 2001 through December 2002, Springfield performed in EFX Alive! at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada to critical acclaim.

Rick Springfield also played the role of Nick Knight in the orginal Forever Knight TV movie, a role later taken up by Geraint Wyn Davies.

In December 2005, Springfield returned as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital [4]. His run was subsequently extended, although he remains a guest star and not a full cast member.
On July 8.2008 Rick once again returned to GH.

Dr. Noah Drake
In Springfield's current run on GH, his character is a recovering alcoholic and widower who is trying to patch things up with his estranged son, Dr. Patrick Drake (actor Jason Thompson, who indeed strongly resembles Springfield). Noah was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, but his life was saved when his son donated part of his own liver to him. In the current storyline, Noah is trying to assist Patrick with his ambivalent feelings about giving up womanizing, in order to pursue love-interest Dr. Robin Scorpio.

Recording Career
Although his achievements are not well recognised in his homeland, Australia, Springfield has long maintained a large and fiercely loyal fan base in the United States, Canada, and Japan. His many career achievements include a Grammy Award, four platinum albums, twenty US Top 100 singles and seventeen Top 40 hits including a US #1 and #2 single. After a few albums with some hit singles, Springfield's lack of critical acceptance slowed his career, though he continued releasing albums on the RCA label throughout the 1980s.

In 1981, Springfield returned to music with the album Working Class Dog. Most notably on this album were the smash hit singles, "Jessie's Girl" and "I've Done Everything for You", the latter written by Sammy Hagar.

Springfield won a Grammy in 1981 for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Jessie's Girl". Springfield was also nominated for two Grammys in 1982 and one Grammy in 1983.

His subsequent release in 1982, Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet, also contained a string of top 40 hits, including "Don't Talk To Strangers" and the soft ballad "What Kind of Fool Am I?"

His 1983 release, Living in Oz, contained more serious subject matter, a more hard-rock sound, and more technological sound. The album went platinum on the strength of the hits "Human Touch", "Souls", and "Affair of the Heart". His 1984 single "Love Somebody" (from the album Hard to Hold) was his last top ten hit in the U.S.

Springfield was one of several performers who participated in the Live Aid charity concert. After releasing the album "Tao" in 1985, Springfield chose to take a break from recording to spend more time with his family, and to deal with the depression that had affected him since his adolescence.

In 1987, Springfield returned to the studio and released the album "Rock of Life". The next year, he was seriously injured in an ATV accident. Since he was unable to play the guitar for six months, the planned tour to promote his album was cancelled. It would be nearly a decade before Springfield would return to the studio to record the albums Sahara Snow (1997) and Karma.(1999).

From 1999 onward, he has held several concert tours throughout the United States.

In 2005, Springfield released a "new style" album, The Day After Yesterday with his favorite cover versions.

On April 28, 2006, Springfield performed a medley of his hits at the 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards, and received an enthusiastic response, which included a standing ovation from his acting peers.

In 2008 Rick was in studio once again to record his next album "venus in Overdrive" which took a record 32 days to record.

Personal Life:
In 1974, Springfield dated and lived with then 15 year old actress Linda Blair. He considered it his first "grown up" relationship, despite nearly 10 years difference in their ages.

He has been married to Barbara Porter since October 1984. They met in 1980 while she was working as a receptionist at the recording studio where he recorded his 1981 album Working Class Dog. They have two sons: Liam, born in 1985, and Josh, born in 1989.

In 2006, after nearly 34 years of residing in the United States, Springfield became an American citizen. He still retains Australian citizenship as well.