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Who is Bruce Springsteen’s wife Patti Scialfa? Inside their near 40-year love story

They're still as in love as ever!
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Bruce Springsteen has had decades of success in the music industry, all with his wife, Patti Scialfa, by his side.

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The American singer, 76, has sold more than 140 million records around the globe and is lauded as the “embodiment of rock and roll”.

And Patti, 72, played a close role in his incredible legacy, as she has been a long-standing member of his E Street Band.

But how did Bruce and Patti meet and are they still together now?

Read on for everything you need to know about their relationship.

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Bruce Springsteen Patti Scialfa
Bruce Springsteen and Patti Scialfa got married in 1991 and are still going strong. (Credit: Getty)

How did Bruce Springsteen meet Patti Scialfa?

The couple first met at a bar where Patti was performing in the early 1980s, and quickly developed a friendship.

“It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. We had a beer together, sat at a table, and talked,” Patti previously revealed.

“After that, I would go down every Sunday and sing, and sometimes he would be there. He knew I lived in New York and that I didn’t have a car, so he would offer to drop me off at my mom’s.”

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They had a lot in common, having both grown up near each other in New Jersey, where they shared similar social circles.

Patti knew of Bruce’s reputation as the “fastest guitar player” before they even met, and she shared his passion for music.

Patti joined Bruce’s E Street Band for the first time on their 1984 Born in the USA tour as a backup singer.

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While the two musicians had chemistry on stage and a close friendship, it was years before anything romantic blossomed between them.

They started dating in 1988, after Bruce’s split from his first wife, Julianne Phillips, though they were hit by affair rumours at the time.

They quickly fell in love and went on to tie the knot in 1991 in a private ceremony at their home in Beverly Hills, California.

Bruce Springsteen Patti Scialfa
The couple first met in the 1980s and Patti joined Bruce’s band on tour. (Credit: Getty)
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Is Bruce Springsteen still married?

Yes! Bruce and Patti’s love has overcome all over the years and they are still going strong today.

In fact, Bruce recently gave a rare insight into their relationship, revealing the moment he knew she was “The One”.

“I knew she saw me for who I really was,” he told TIME in September.

“A complicated, messy person. I didn’t have to pretend. I was broken. She was broken in her own way, and we were each other’s personal projects.”

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They marked their 34th wedding anniversary on June 9, 2025, and Patti gushed over Bruce in a sweet Instagram post to mark the milestone.

“Our one year anniversary…. Bruce surprised me with a beautiful party,” she wrote.

“Today marks 34 years … even though we already had Evan and Jess was on the way…. spent the evening with Bruce, Sam and our granddaughter Lily.”

Bruce Springsteen Patti Scialfa
Bruce and Patti celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary in June. (Credit: Instagram)
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Does Bruce Springsteen have children?

Yes! Bruce and Patti share three children together.

Their first son, Evan James, was born in 1990 while they welcomed their daughter, Jessica Rae, the following year.

They welcomed their youngest son, Samuel Ryan, in 1994.

Evan is a musician and has previously joined Bruce on stage, while Jessica is an Olympic equestrian, and Sam works as a firefighter in New Jersey.

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Bruce and Patti became grandparents for the first time in 2022, when Sam welcomed his first child, a daughter called Lily Harper.

Bruce Springsteen Patti Scialfa family
Bruce and Patti got married in 1991 and share three children – Evan, Jessica and Sam. (Credit: Getty)

Does Bruce Springsteen’s wife have cancer?

In September 2024, Patti revealed that she had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma (MM) back in 2018.

MM is a blood cancer that begins in the plasma cells within the bone marrow, which are responsible for producing antibodies to fight infection.

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Overall, the five-year survival rate for MM is 62 per cent, but this increases if it is diagnosed in its early stages, and some people live for 10 years or more with MM.

Patti made the revelation in Bruce’s documentary, Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, after privately battling the illness for six years.

“This affects my immune system, so I just have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go,” she shared in the documentary.

“Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs onstage, and that’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m okay with that.”

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At the time, Bruce also detailed how Patti’s diagnosis made him realise the importance of cherishing life.

“Patti and I have had to deal with her illness, and you’re worried about… it is a part of your life now, questions of mortality, and it just becomes a part of your life,” he shared on stage.

Bruce Springsteen Patti Scialfa
Patti was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2018 and publicly revealed her diagnosis last year. (Credit: Getty)

Who was Bruce Springsteen’s first wife?

Before falling in love with Patti, Bruce was married to Julianne Phillips.

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The couple got married at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Lake Oswego, Oregon, in 1985.

However, the couple got divorced just four years later in 1989, amid mass speculation that he had an affair with his now-wife, Patti.

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