Is that really Bruce Springsteen on the cover of "AARP: The Magazine?!"
Clad in jeans, a black button-down and wielding his signature Telecaster guitar, The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer looks fit and fierce as he graces the September/October issue of the publication for the American Association of Retired Persons. To the left of his head reads the headline: "The Boss turns 60." Inside the magazine, friends like Bonnie Raitt, bandmate Nils Lofgren and Tim Russert's son, Luke, offer first-person insights about the man, the myth, the legend. There's even a bit written by Jon Landau, Springsteen's longtime manager - which means the cover story probably got The Boss' blessing.
Was it a "senior moment" - or was it just smart marketing? AARP claims it's the "world"s largest circulation magazine," reaching a potential readership of 35 million people. Besides auto insurance ads and articles about surviving prostate cancer, the mag also name checks such over-40 celebs as Olivia Newton-John, Montel Williams and Faith Hill.
Oh, by the way - if you're itching to see Springsteen's October 3rd concert at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, visit www.aarpmagazine.org/entertainment/springsteen_sweepstakes . The winner gets a free pair of tix, plus VIP passes to the E Street Lounge, where the band's friends and families gather before the show. If you're retired, you'll have plenty of time to sign up for the sweepstakes.