# Remembering When a Pair of 60s Legends Sang Backup on a Bruce Springsteen Smash Hit in 1980

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/remembering-when-a-pair-of-60s-legends-sang-backup-on-a-bruce-springsteen-smash-hit-in-1980/
- Published: 2026-11-03T11:00:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T11:34:56+00:00
- Original publisher: American Songwriter
- Original article: https://americansongwriter.com/remembering-when-a-pair-of-60s-legends-sang-backup-on-a-bruce-springsteen-smash-hit-in-1980/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- “Hungry Heart” was Springsteen’s first Top 10 single.
- Former Turtles members Flo and Eddie sang backing vocals.
- The hit helped Springsteen reach mainstream radio audiences.

## Summary

Bruce Springsteen’s “Hungry Heart” became his first Top 10 single in 1980, with backing vocals from Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, formerly of The Turtles. Their contribution helped give the song a bright pop sound and marked a breakthrough for Springsteen on mainstream radio.

Springsteen and producer Jon Landau chose the duo, known as Flo and Eddie, after deciding the song needed extra vocals. Kaylan and Volman had previously scored a No. 1 hit with The Turtles’ “Happy Together” and later sang on records by artists including Alice Cooper and T. Rex. They doubted “Hungry Heart” would succeed, but its chart performance helped set the stage for Springsteen’s wider success with singles from *Born in the U.S.A.* four years later.

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