[edit] Background Springfield grew up in a military family, and moved as his father, who was in the army, was posted to various military bases throughout Australia and Great Britain. Springfield started playing piano at age 9. He began playing the guitar at age 13, and writing songs at 14. [edit] Musical career 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.[1] In 1969, when Springfield returned to Australia, he formed a band named Wickedy Wak with MPD bandmates Danny Finley and Paul Shannon, along with a keyboardist who went by the name of Ray Wight. Later that year, he joined the band Zoot. Zoot became one of the most popular Australian groups of the late 1960s. 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." After his success in Australia, the 22-year-old Springfield relocated to Hollywood, California in 1972.[1] Capitol Records signed him, and he recorded his first album Beginnings. "Speak to the Sky" was re-released as a single in the US, and reached #14 in the Billboard Top 100. Exposure on American Bandstand, as well as being regularly featured in teen fan magazines such as 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. According to the 2005 A&E Documentary Rick Springfield: Behind The Image, radio stations became suspicious of the album "Beginnings" and refused to play it, because of rumors that the record company, Capitol Records, was pay
1 | Love Is Alright Tonite | Working Class Dog |
2 | Daddy's Pearl | Working Class Dog |
3 | Human Touch | Living in Oz |
4 | The Man That Never Was | Sound City: Real to Reel |
5 | Rick Springfield - Red Hot & Blue Love | Working Class Dog |
6 | Rock of Life | Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits |
7 | Affair Of The Heart | Living in Oz |
8 | Bop 'Til You Drop | Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits |
9 | Hole In My Heart | Working Class Dog |
10 | State Of The Heart | Tao |
11 | Rick Springfield - Living In Oz | Living in Oz |
12 | Celebrate Youth | Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits |
13 | Rick Springfield - Souls | Living in Oz |
14 | Love Is Alright Tonight | Rick Springfield's Greatest Hits |
15 | Jessie's Girl | Working Class Dog |
16 | Rick Springfield - Me & Johnny | Living in Oz |
17 | Love Somebody | The Best of Rick Springfield |
18 | Tiger By the Tail | Living in Oz |
19 | Rick Springfield - Hole In My Heart | Working Class Dog |
20 | Rick Springfield - Everybody's Girl | Working Class Dog |