Bruce Springsteen Befriended Waitress Who Ended Up as His True Love — They Recently Welcomed Grandbaby

• Renowned rock star turns 73 today and celebrates it with his beloved wife, Patti.

• Bruce and Patti's romance began during their 30s. Even though the duo had lived close to each other for years, they never spoke.

• Once Bruce was sure he was in love with Patti, also a member of his band, he ended his marriage with his first wife.

• To date, they are still waxing strong and have become grandparents.

Today marks a new chapter for the "E Street" band leader, Bruce Springsteen. The rock n' roll singer turned 73 and decided to celebrate it with the person that matters most to him, Patti, his beloved wife.

Over the years, Springsteen, famously known as "The Boss," has imprinted his name in the books of the invisible legendary entertainers.

This iconic performer, singer, and songwriter has produced about twenty studio albums sold worldwide.

His history would be incomplete without mentioning that he owns many prestigious awards, including twenty Grammys, two Golden Globes, and a Best Original Song Oscar for his 1993 hit song, "Streets of Philadelphia".

Despite the global recognition, awards, and fortune amassed in his career, Bruce's dedication to family remains unwavering. The superstar rock artist prioritizes his brood, including his wife, Patti, and their three kids.

His love for them is emphasized in his media records. However, Bruce has maintained consistency in not granting interviews to talk about his matters.

Apart from keeping his internal affairs under wraps, he had never been entangled in any controversy or feud. But, that's not all; the "I'm on Fire" singer also protects his family from the prying paparazzi.

In his privacy, Bruce is clad with his cloak of love which has been responsible for having an adorable family and enduring marriage that has lasted for more than three decades.

Indeed, Patti is blessed with a doting husband, with whom she has raised three amazing adult kids, and even though their children are grown, the motto remains; family first.

However, what seems like a fairy tale story of a prince and princess building the life of their dream almost never happened.

For a teenage Patti, who lived close to Bruce, she had always admired the rockstar. But on the other hand, Bruce knew nothing about her, and when they met, he was hesitant to begin a family with her.

Patti Met Bruce after Years of Being His Fan

As a young woman, Patti loved good music, and she grew to appreciate Bruce's talent. Patti, who later joined the "E Street" band, claimed that tales about Bruce's guitar prowess and bands spread like wildfire. She also attested to his devotion to the craft.

Consequently, what began as an unlikely love story turned out to be one of the best in history. To date, Bruce and Patti have an amazing relationship with each other and their kids.

In her words, "When I was fourteen and Bruce was eighteen, I think, he was known as the fastest guitar player…He always had the best bands. He was the man with the focus and the tremendous dedication to his work."

Although they lived close to each other for many years — about ten miles, they never ran into each other or spoke until when they were in their 30s.

At the time, Bruce was already a superstar, while Patti worked as a waitress in R.J. Scotty's, an Italian bar and restaurant in Chelsea, which no longer operates.

Simultaneously, she lent her voice as a backup to reputable singers like David Johansen and Johnny Lyons. Patti also performed on the streets with her friend, Soozie Tyrell.

Coincidentally, she met Bruce at the Stone Pony, a music dive at a well-known seaside in Asbury Park. Patti had just sung with her friend's band, and The Boss, who was among the audience, complimented her.

Soon, he became a regular spectator, and their friendship grew. Patti admitted that they often grabbed a drink as pals and talked. She added:

"It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship…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 [in Deal]. Sometimes we would go out to the Ink Well in West End and have a hamburger and the chocolate milk with the whipped cream on top."

But their friendship metamorphosed into romance, even though Bruce was married then. For Patti, it had always been more than a platonic relationship with the rockstar.

According to her art teacher at Asbury Park High, she had always been in love with Bruce. Curtis K. Smith revealed that Michael Patti's brother, a rock singer, always spoke about their relationship and that when it was revealed, not many were surprised.

"We'd always heard this and that about Patti and Bruce from [her brother] Michael. It wasn't a big surprise around here when it finally came into the open," she admitted.

Bruce's Love Life with His First Wife

A few years before he met Patti, Bruce was hooked to his model-turned-actress wife, Julianne Phillips, who was ten years his junior.

The rock icon described her as a talented and charming young lady who had her life in front of her. Almost as soon as they met in Los Angeles, they began dating.

Six months later, the thriving artist asked the promising actress to marry him. They were in love, and everything seemed perfect and admirable until Patti entered the picture.

Bruce began spending time with the music-inclined woman, a former Jersey native. She joined his band, and together, they began performing on stage, leading fans to see they were in love.

It was impossible to dismiss for the fans and the lovers. Although the "I'm on Fire" crooner felt pangs of guilt for disappointing his youthful and adorable wife, he confessed to his wife, and they handled it in a seemingly incontrovertible way. According to Bruce:

"The surreptitiousness didn't last long, and I came clean to Julie as soon as I knew how serious Patti and I were, but there was no decent or graceful way out of it."

The former couple kept their separation a secret. They declined to make any public statement. But when the news leaked, it was tagged a scandal, which made it nearly unbearable.

However, both parties did what they wanted— Phillips served her singer-husband with divorce papers. The process was quiet and quick.

Expectedly the media compared both women. Julie was the picture-perfect wife for a celebrity; she was a former cheerleader and still possessed her model-like beauty.

On the other hand, Patti, who loved playing with bands, possessed a classic beauty. Despite being everything Julie was not, Bruce realized she was his perfect choice. To him, his true love lies with his friend and bandmate, Patti.

Bruce and Patti's Journey to Forever

After the heartbreaking divorce, Bruce and Patti began their journey to a happy ever after. In 1990, the duo became first-time parents, welcoming their first son, Evan.

The following year, they bonded their relationship by sharing wedding vows. Their daughter and second child, Jessica, was born that same year.

The couple took a two-year break before adding a third child, Sam, to their family. Following parenthood, the couple pledged to keep their kids away from the public.

Even though they were famous, Bruce and his wife successfully protected their kids from the spotlight.

Somehow, it did not limit their kids' interest in music. However, The Boss alleged that neither he nor Patti was their children's musical heroes. He said:

"They had their own musical heroes. They had their own music that they were interested in."

Also, the Springsteen clan is not following in their parent's footsteps. Their son, Evan, is uninterested in music, while Jessica, their daughter, is a professional equestrian.

Their youngest, Sam, is a Jersey City firefighter. Interestingly, the Springsteens support their children in their diverse careers.

Bruce has been spotted attending Jessica's horse race in the UK, while he was also present during his son's induction as a firefighter.

Consequently, what began as an unlikely love story turned out to be one of the best in history. To date, Bruce and Patti have a special relationship with each other and their kids.

They are also grandparents to Sam's newborn, Lily Harper, whom he recently welcomed with his fiancée.