Bruce Springsteen took to Instagram on May 27 to share a touching tribute to his old friend Carl Virgil “Tinker” West, who died this week at the age of 89.
In the post, which featured a black-and-white photo of West, along with six slides of text about his old friend, Springsteen detailed their relationship and about how the New Jersey surfing legend “was simply one of the most important people” of his “young life.”
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“In 1970 when I had nothing, nowhere to live, was broke with nowhere to go, he recognized my talent and took me in,” Springsteen wrote. “We lived together in one tiny room of his Wanamassa, New Jersey Challenger Eastern Surfboard Factory. His mattress was on one side of the room and mine was six feet away on the other.”
The Boss went on to share several anecdotes about his old friend, including, “If you visited the surf shop for more than ten minutes he’d shove a broom in your hand and tell you to start sweeping. He wasn’t joking.”
He also recalled some of his early adventures on the road with Tinker in his 1940’s Chevrolet flatbed truck, including a 72-hour trip through Big Sur, Calif. “He also insisted, I, without skills or license drive my share,” Springsteen recalled. “That’s how Tinker taught you something. He just made you do it.”
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Springsteen noted that his relationship with his old friend didn’t change much after he became a star. “Tinker asked me for exactly nothing,” he added. “He was forever alone, working, off the grid and independent.”
As the post concluded, Springsteen revealed that he visited his old friend who was dying from throat cancer. “He smiled when he saw me, and I kissed one of my errant father’s goodbye,” he wrote. “I hung out for a while, he pulled me close and his voice raspy and nearly gone whispered, ‘We sure had some adventures didn’t we?’ I answered, ‘We sure did.”
“When I was about to leave, I saw something I never thought I’d see in this life or the next,” Springsteen added. “He cried. I loved him,” the rocker concluded, before signing off with simply his name in all caps.
Fans were impressed with Springsteen’s tribute to his old pal.
“Thank you for this beautiful tribute. Tinker was a #Highlands_NJ legend who loved the community and generously hosted many joyous celebrations in The Purple Building,” wrote one.
“That’s one of the most beautiful honourings of a loved human I’ve ever heard. I’m really sorry for your sadness but so glad for your beautiful bond,” another fan added.
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Bruce Springsteen Shares Touching Tribute to ‘One of the Most Important People’ of His ‘Young Life’ first appeared on Parade on May 29, 2025
