Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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SPRINGFIELD, Rick

(b 23 August 1949, Sydney) Australian actor and singer based in the USA. Born in a military family, he grew up in Australia and the UK; his first band was the Rolling Stones-inspired Jordy Boys; later Rock House played covers to troops in Vietnam. He joined future Little River Band star Beeb Birtles in Zoot (also including Darryl Cotton); 'Speak To The Sky' was no. 1 down under but Springfield was dissatisfied, remade it for his debut album Beginnings '72 on Capitol for no. 14 USA hit. He switched labels to CBS for Comic Book Heroes '74 (didn't chart); work permit and management problems caused  three-year break in recording, so he studied acting; Wait For The Night '76 preceded the Chelsea label's demise; he abandoned music for TV episodes of Rockford Files, Wonder Woman, Six Million Dollar Man, Incredible Hulk etc. He returned to music '80; Working Class Dog '81 on RCA spawned no. 1 'Jessie's Girl', a powerful rocker helped by his role of Dr Noah Drake on prime-time soap opera General Hospital. Eleven more US top ten hit singles through '84, albums Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet '82 (no. 2), Living In Oz '83 (top 20), Tao '85 (no. 21), Rock Of Life '88 (slipped to no. 88). Beautiful Feelings '84 on Mercury had '78 vocals with new backing added. Film Hard To Hold '84 yielded hit singles, top 20 soundtrack LP; the RCA albums were still on CD '97 plus a Greatest Hits set.

He was still at it in the 21st century. Songs For The End Of The World 2012 was his first album in several years, not counting a kiddie album in 2009 called My Precious Little One: Lullabies for a New Generation. In October of 2012 he canceled some shows in Pennsylvania and New Jersey because of ill health. Later he landed a role supporting Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline in the 2015 film Ricki and the Flash, described by one critic as a "baby boomer guilt-trip", by auditioning with the film's band.