His First Paid Gigs
In 1965, the young and guitar-obsessed teenager went to the House of Tex and Marion Vinyard, who at the time was sponsoring young bands in town. They helped Bruce become a lead guitarist in a group called The Rogues, getting his first paid gigs. He later joined The Beatles-influenced group called The Castiles and began playing gigs in New Jersey and New York.
The Castiles, May 1965. Bruce Springsteen is on the right. Source: Pinterest
They played all kinds of venues, including Cafe Wha? in Greenwich Village. The group recorded two original songs at a public recording studio in Brick Township. Marion Vinyard said how at the time, she believed the young Springsteen when he promised her that one day he would make it big.
But then the Vietnam War happened…