Vinton article

Singer, actor Springfield set to perform in Vinton this weekend
By Tommy Mann Jr.
The Orange Leader
(published June 10, 2007)

Rick Springfield has been performing rock music for the better part of four decades. However, he still rocks with the vigor of a man half his age.
Springfield is performing at 8 p.m. Saturday and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Delta Downs Event Center in Vinton, La. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets for $50 or by phone at 409-833-7747.
Springfield called from his cell phone as he was en route to the airport to catch a flight bound for Las Vegas for two shows this weekend.
“We never stop touring,” Springfield said with a laugh during a telephone interview. “It’s endless. We never stop touring. We go out on the road for a couple of days, and then go back home for a few before we go out again. It’s pretty nice actually.”
Springfield said the reason he tours just a few days at a time is to accommodate his acting career since he returned to “General Hospital” in the role of Dr. Noah Drake on daytime television.
Springfield is touring in support of his December 2006 release, “Catch Me If You Can,” and the 2006 DVD release, “Live in Rockford.”
The DVD features 17 tracks recorded live at the Coronado Theater in Rockford, Ill. featuring hit songs such as “Jessie’s Girl,” “Affair of the Heart,” “Love Somebody,” and “Human Touch” along side new tracks like “Red House” and his remake of “Broken Wings.”
As much as Springfield is thankful to his fans for past success and the hit songs they helped make popular, it is the new songs which he enjoys introducing to his longtime fans.
“The biggest thrill for me is writing new material and playing it in front of people,” Springfield said. “The hard-core fans really know all of the old songs by heart, and a lot of the new material, but most people have never heard it before.”
Springfield came to the United States from Australia and had his first hit in 1972 when “Speak to the Sky” peaked at No. 14 on the charts. However, bad luck saw his debut album fall by the wayside as his record label folded in 1976.
In 1981, Springfield reemerged better than ever with the multi-platinum debut on RCA records, “Working Class Dog.”
The album spawned three Top 10 hits, including “I’ve Done Everything for You,” “Love is Alright Tonight,” and the No. 1 smash “Jessie’s Girl.”
More hits followed in 1982 with the release of “Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet,” as songs like “Don’t Talk to Strangers”, which peaked at number 2 on the singles chart, “I Get Excited,” “Kristina” and “What Kind of Fool Am I” burned up the radio airwaves.
Springfield continued his string of succes with the 1983 release “Living In Oz.” The album still had the Springfield sound, but was much more of a rock album and less pop than his previous efforts, but the hits still piled up as “Affair of the Heart” broke into the Top 10 and “Human Touch” peaked at No. 18.
Springfield made his big screen acting debut in 1984 with the movie “Hard to Hold,” and released the soundtrack of the same name, which generated the Top 5 hit, “Love Somebody.”
He released two more albums, “Tao” in 1985 and “Rock of Life” in 1988, before taking a nearly decade-long break from recording to be with his family.
It was during the five-year span from 1983 to 1988 which saw Springfield perform in Beaumont on at last three occassions, including shows at the Beaumont Civic Center and the Montagne Center at Lamar University.
Once he resumed his music career, Springfield opted not to rehash the glory days of the ‘80s by touring strictly behind his hit songs, but decided to record new music.
Since he reemerged, Springfield has released a string of albums from “Sahara Snow” in 1997, “Karma” in 1998, “Shock/Denial/Anger/Acceptance” in 2004, “The Day After Yesterday” in 2005, and the 2006 release, “Catch Me If You Can.”
Throughout his career, Springfield has charted 17 Top 40 hits, sold nearly 20 million albums, and is a Grammy Award winner.
However, one thing has always remained constant for Springfield, and that is his stage show.
“We are very much a rock band,” Springfield said. “Our sound, the heaviness with which we play, really surprises people. I believe that is why so many people come back to see us show after show.”

Reach this reporter at 409-883-3571, Ext. 2619 or tmann@orangeleader.com