Rick Springfield with Loverboy and the Romantics

Although Rick Springfield’s music was frequently dismissed as vapid teen idol fare, his best moments have actually withstood the test of time far better than most critics would ever have imagined, emerging as some of the best-crafted mainstream power pop of the 1980s. A singer turned soap opera star turned singer.

He formed a band in high school and eventually joined a number of groups, and finally went solo with limited success. In the meantime, Springfield had begun taking acting classes; he signed a contract with Universal Studios in 1980 and appeared on several television programs.

He was able to secure a recording contract with RCA on the strength of his demos; in the midst of recording his debut for the label, he was signed to play the young, eligible Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital in 1981. Springfield’s popularity skyrocketed, setting the stage for the release of Working Class Dog later that year. Powered by the classic single “Jessie’s Girl,” which eventually hit the top of the charts, and the Top Ten follow-up “I’ve Done Everything for You,” Working Class Dog was a smash success, and Springfield eventually returned to his first love of music when concerts conflicted with his television career.

The follow-up, Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet, was released in 1982, spawning the Top Ten smash “Don’t Talk to Strangers”; 1983’s Living in Oz offered more of the same, including the Top Ten “Affair of the Heart.” Springfield made the leap to the big screen in 1984 with Hard to Hold, which was much more successful at the box office than with critics; the soundtrack spawned his last Top Ten hit to date, “Love Somebody.” Springfield recorded several more albums over the rest of the ’80s, and continued to land television roles into the ’90s while continuing to record and tour to this day.

In 2010 he released Late, Late at Night a New York TimesBestseller and was voted as one of the top 25 rock memoirs of all-time by Rolling Stone magazine. Last year he released his second book, a novel this time, while getting personal on his concert tour with “stripped down” versions of favorite songs. Always a fan favorite, Rick Springfield continues to wow audiences with every show.

For more than 30 years, LOVERBOY has been “Working for the Weekend” and on weekends, delighting audiences around the world.

With their trademark red leather pants, bandannas, big rock sound and high-energy live shows, LOVERBOY has sold more than 10 million albums, earning four multi-platinum plaques, including the four-million-selling Get Lucky, and a trio of double-platinum releases in their self-titled 1980 debut, 1983’s Keep It Up and 1985’s Lovin’ Every Minute of It. Their string of hits includes, in addition to the anthem “Working for the Weekend,” such arena rock staples as “Lovin’ Every Minute of It,” “This Could Be the Night,” “Hot Girls in Love,” “Heaven In Your Eyes,” “Turn Me Loose,” “When It’s Over,” “Heaven In Your Eyes” and “Queen of the Broken Hearts.”

“When we do live shows these days, I notice the songs have come to a better place,” says Reno. “We’re playing them a little differently, but the catalyst is still the same. We love these songs—they’re part of our DNA, and they’re part of a lot of people’s DNA.”

The Romantics cut their teeth on the Detroit sound characterized by the MC5, the Stooges, Bob Seger and the Last Heard, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and infused it with sincerity, irony, spontaneity and, of course, volume. They favored short hair, short songs and popularized red leather suits.

Their musical credo, then and now, was a simple, joyful affirmation, epitomized by the “Hey!…uh-huh!” intro to “What I Like About You,” the unforgettable, high-energy track that still bridges generations, times and musical genres.

All ages welcome.