Bruce Springsteen Performs ‘The River’ Live On The Late Show

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Bruce Springsteen appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and performed an intimate acoustic version of his 1979 classic “The River”. The original track featured the E Street Band, but for this performance, he played solo. He even showed his Born to Run guitar along with footage from his 30th birthday party or also known as the Legendary 1979 No Nukes Concerts, out on November 16.

“I’ve played this guitar for 50 years,” he said. “I bought it when I was 22 for $185 on Highway 34, I think, in Belmont, New Jersey, from a man — a great guitar man named Phil Patillo… This guitar has been in every club, theater, arena, and stadium in America and most of the world.”

Springsteen also sat down to discuss his new book titled Renegades: Born in the USA, which he co-authored with former president Barack Obama. The Boss initially thought Obama had the wrong number when he contacted him.

“He’s a Columbia graduate, a teacher of Constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School, first African-American president of the United States,” Springsteen explained. “I am a guitar player. I am a Freehold Regional High School graduate.”

Springsteen will join Jon Stewart and Jim Gaffigan on November 8 for the 15th annual Stand Up for Heroes fundraiser.