PHOTOS: Fans meet Bruce Springsteen during Philly book tour stop

Katherine Scott Image
Thursday, September 29, 2016

CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- Bruce Springsteen has been showing up early during his book tour, so fans in Philadelphia didn't want to take a chance Thursday.

Some arrived at 5:15 a.m. and by around 11:30 a.m. they were rewarded.

You can read all about The Boss in his new 508 page memoir, but these fans didn't want to pass up a chance to see him in the flesh.

Fans met The Boss at the Free Library of Philadelphia.

He signed autographs on his way into the Parkway Central Library on Vine Street for his third stop on his 'Born to Run' book tour.

RELATED: 'College Kid' steals show at Springsteen concert

"I've seen him now 14 times, follow him around a little. He's kind of the most important person left in rock and roll for me at least. How often do you get to shake the guy's hand?" Bryan Bradley of Center City said.

You needed tickets for the meet and greet and all 1,200 of them sold out fast.

He is The Boss after all.

20 Grammys, two Golden Globes, and an Oscar. He was inducted into the Songwriters and the Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.

But before his stratospheric rise to fame, he was a little boy from New Jersey.

Bob Cappella of Pottsville, Pa. was one of the fans who arrived at 5:15 a.m.

"It's another reason why we like him, grew up the hard way, humble, we can all relate," Cappella said.

'Born to Run' took seven years to write. Fans are expecting the same great storytelling that they've come to know from his concert.

The Robinsons have seen him more than 20 times and flew all the way from Tampa to meet him Thursday.

"He really put himself out there. The record breaking concerts in Philadelphia and other locations recently - who else performs a concert for four hours?" A.P. Robinson said.

The next stop on the tour: Seattle.