Pop Star Fantasy! Rick Springfield STRIPPED DOWN At The McCallum Theatre

The McCallum Theatre welcomes Rick Springfield and his "Stripped Down" solo acoustic tour on Wednesday, January 18, at 8:00pm. Rick Springfield has never settled for doing just one thing. Over the past three decades, he has worn many hats as an entertainer and performer. The creator of some of the finest power-pop of the '80s, he's a Grammy winning singer, songwriter and musician who has sold 25 million albums and scored 17 Top 40 hits, including "Jessie's Girl," "Don't Talk to Strangers," "An Affair of the Heart," "I've Done Everything for You," "Love Somebody" and "Human Touch."

Rick is an accomplished actor and author. His television roles include Dr. Noah Drake in the daytime television series "General Hospital" and appearances in "Californication" and "Hawaii Five-0," and a recurring role in "True Detective" as Dr. Irving Pitlor. His most recent film role was opposite Meryl Streep in 2015's Ricki and the Flash. In addition to television and film, he was a member of the original Broadway cast of the musical Smokey Joe's Café and performed in EFX Alive at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Rick is also a talented author - both his 2010 memoir Late, Late at Night (which Rolling Stone named one of the 25 greatest rock memoirs of all time) and his 2014 comedic novel Magnificent Vibration earned rave reviews and spots on the New York TimesBest Sellers' list.

In 2013, Rick wrote and recorded "The Man That Never Was" with Dave Grohl for the soundtrack to Sound City - the Foo Fighters' frontman's documentary about the San Fernando Valley recording studio that was his home away from home (his manager owned the building). Rolling Stone called Rick's touching interview in the film its "breakout story."

In 2014, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located around the corner from the first apartment he lived in when he first arrived in the U.S. from Australia in 1971.

That Rick has not only enjoyed longevity, but remained vibrant and relevant at a time when many veteran artists would be resting on past laurels led Rolling Stone to dub this stage of his career "The Rickonaissance." "I guess it may appear like that, but in my head, I've never really left," Springfield says. "I think it's important to stay connected to the vitality of your career. I have a certain pride that I'm not a total nostalgia act. I've never been the guy who hung the Platinum albums on my walls because, to me, it was looking back. I'm very passionate about moving forward. I have to write new music. I have to record. I'm always working on the live shows. I have to always be working, otherwise I think I'd just turn to smoke and disappear."

Rick's latest musical effort is Rocket Science, his 18th studio album. Written largely with his longtime collaborator and former bass player Matt Bissonette, the album delivers the expertly crafted wide-ranging pop-rock songs Rick is known for. The lyrics largely address matters of the heart with the irreverence, wit, and dark humor that has permeates his work.

Music has always been a healing force in the Australian-born Springfield's life. The son of an Army officer, Rick and his family moved every two years. Books and records became his savior. Then at age 11, he encountered his first guitar. "This kid brought one to a Christmas fair at my school and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen," Rick recalls. "He let me hold it. I hit two strings and the two strings happened to be the first couple of notes of the theme song to my favorite cowboy show at the time, 'Cheyenne.' I realized instantly I could play the guitar. Some guys fall in love with cars, some with football teams. I fell in love with guitars."

It has been a long and fruitful affair; one that has gifted Rick with a powerful connection to his devoted fans who pack his annual fan getaway events, as well as the nearly 100 shows a year he performs both with his band and solo in an intimate "storyteller" setting. Though too self-deprecating to discuss his immense appeal, he will acknowledge that the fans connect with him through the music. "I guess they think I'm honest," he says. "They must like my approach, what I write about. I think they like that I have a sense of humor in it at times. Because the 'cute' thing isn't going to last forever."

The McCallum Theatre welcomes Rick Springfield and his "Stripped Down" solo acoustic tour on Wednesday, January 18, at 8:00pm.

Tickets for this performance of Rick Springfield and his "Stripped Down" solo acoustic tour on Wednesday, January 18, at 8:00pm are priced at $87, $67, $57 and $37. Tickets are available at the Theatre's website at www.mccallumtheatre.com or by calling the McCallum Theatre Box Office at (760) 340-ARTS.

To post a comment, you must register and login.