‘The Boss’ reaffirmed every bit of that moniker with an address that many audience members exclaimed was the greatest keynote they’d ever seen. He was at once philosophical, humorous, humble, awestruck (especially when he talked about his encounter with James Brown), and downright professorial, as he spoke about the history and his love of music, drawing direct comparisons and parallels with his own musical career and the influences on it.

Naturally, he used the music itself to be the exclamation of his points. In one instance, he explained how the music of the Animals infused his own Darkness On The Edge Of Town. “Youngsters watch this one,” he said, playing a riff from “Don’t Let Be Misunderstood,” then immediately following with “Badlands.” “It’s the same fucking riff, man.”

The bottom line of his talk was a string of contradictions that he encouraged every would be, current and long-time rocker embrace, but they all ultimately culminate in a shared love of music  - in all its forms - so aptly on display in sheer numbers at SXSW.

You can view his keynote in it’s entirety here. It’s lengthy, but worth every minute.

The annual South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival (the mouthful of a festival better known as SXSW) has scored Bruce Springsteen to be their keynote speaker on March 15 at the Austin Convention Center.

The Boss is also kicking off a European tour on May 18 at the Estadio Olimpico Lluis Companys in Barcelona that wraps up on July 28 at the Ullevi in Gothenberg. Additional Bruce Springsteen tickets are available for May 30 in Berlin, June 7 in Milan, July 4-5 in Paris, July 12 in Vienna and July 17-18 in Dublin.

This will be the first tour since the June 2011 passing of Bruce Springsteen’s longtime band mate Clarence “Big Man” Clemens passed away from complications from a stroke. No official word has been released of who will replace the saxophonist in the E Street Band. But more news on U.S. tour dates coming soon!

The good news was reported on The Boss’ official website in a vague statement, “A lot of you have been hearing that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be on tour in 2012. That is absolutely correct. The European dates run from the middle of May until end of July and are being announced this week. Info on the US dates and the World tour dates will coming up shortly.”

All initial dates are in England, but Springsteen fans are a patient bunch. They will temper the wait with the knowledge that new music is also on the horizon. The album is still untitled, and no release date is mentioned, but the band is “excited about everything that we’re planning for 2012.” 

This will be the first tour without longtime E Street Band saxman Clarence Clemons, who died in June from complications after a stroke. It must be a bittersweet thought for Bruce and the band, but the show must go on. I can’t imagine Clemons wanting it any other way.

In December, Springsteen and the band performed hits from their new 2-disc set The Promise for 60 fans at the Carousel House in Asbury Park, N.J. After the show, several internet sites (see below for full list) started streaming four songs from the album: The title track, “Blue Christmas,” “Racing In The Street,” “Gotta Get That Feeling” and “Ain’t Good Enough For You.”

North American fans can listen to the songs on Vevo, YouTube, AOL, BET and CBS Interactive Music Group. U.K. fans can listen through The Guardian.

However, the streaming can’t go on forever. So if you miss out, why not experience the real deal? Get your Bruce Springsteen tickets for an upcoming event near you.

Currently Bruce is working towards completion of the album re-issue.  In a recent statement, E Street Band guitarist Steve Van Zandt said, “We’re doing a little bit of fixes on some Darkness on the Edge of Town outtakes, which is going to be a really fun reissue coming for Christmas.  We put 10 or so outtakes on the [1998] Tracks box-set and we found 10 more.  I’m not sure how many we’ll put on there.  We’ll go back and he [Bruce] might finish a lyric on one or two, or finish a harmony on one or two, but we’ll keep them intact pretty much.”

The documentary, titled The Promise is compiled of video footage of never-before-seen home rehearsals and recording sessions.  Drummer Max Weinberg recalls there always being someone with a hand held camera during those times.  It is a real treat for fans when bands captured career making moments on film.

Springsteen was also nominated for Best Rock Song, which went to “Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon; Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media, which went to Jai Ho (from Slumdog Millionaire); and Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals, which went to “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat.

This win marks Springsteen’s 20th Grammy Award. His first was in 1984 in the same category for his song “Dancing in the Dark.”

The Boss snagged four nods in the following categories:

Best Rock Song - “Working on a Dream”

Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance - “Working on a Dream”

Best Song Written For Motion Picture, Television Or Other Visual Media - “The Wrestler” (from the movie of the same name)

Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals - “Sea Of Heartbreak” with Rosanne Cash

Springsteen and company have a  good chance at winning  despite facing stiff competition in the rock categories from U2, Kings of Leon and Green Day.

Springsteen & the E Street Band have just finished up their ‘Working on a Dream’ tour promoting the Grammy-worthy album of the same name.  

The 52nd Grammy Awards air live from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on January 31, 2010, at 8pm (EST) on CBS.

The three hour set, in which Springsteen played many songs, included “Working on a Dream,” “Darlington County” and “Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits. The concert was the 24th since Bruce Springsteen initially played there in 1985.

Springsteen is still on tour throughout late November.

After 28 songs in three hours, Springsteen proved that he is still able to rock the U.S. – in the past, shows in America have seemed a little sedated compared to European shows, as European fans eat him up every time he comes to town.

Fortunately for old-school Springsteen fans, there was a great mix of classic hits and new songs – and this much fun can be expected through the rest of the tour!

The news was reported in the Chicago Sun-Times, but has yet to be officially confirmed by anyone in the Springsteen camp. Nevertheless, the idea is thrilling for fans, since the album has been played from start to finish only once before in May 2008.

Other Springsteen tour news: 2 more dates have been added to play shows at The Spectrum in Philly before the venue is demolished - October 19th and 20th.