Rick Springfield became a U.S. citizen for practical reasons, but his explanation says more about his life in America than a paperwork answer usually would.<\/p>\n
The Australian-born rocker, best known for \u201cJessie\u2019s Girl,\u201d opened up in a new People<\/a> interview about why he officially became an American citizen in 2006. Springfield first joked that he wanted to experience jury duty, then gave the real answer: marriage, taxes, power of attorney, and making sure his wife, Barbara Porter, could make financial decisions if something happened to him.<\/p>\n The answer was not glamorous, but it fit the way Springfield described his life in the United States. America is where his family, friends, career, and daily routines have been rooted for decades.<\/p>\n Image Credit: Debby Wong \/ Shutterstock.<\/p>\n Springfield told People that the citizenship decision came down to \u201ctechnical\u201d issues tied to marriage, taxes, and power of attorney.<\/p>\n He said he wanted to make sure that if he died before Porter, she would be able to handle financial decisions without unnecessary complications. That gave the story a more personal shape than a celebrity talking point about patriotism or reinvention.<\/p>\n Springfield was not describing a dramatic identity change. He was describing a long-married musician making a legal and financial choice for the person who would be left to manage things if he died first.<\/p>\n Springfield also said the decision was not only technical. He told People that his life, family, and friends are in the United States, and that he loves America.<\/p>\n That makes the citizenship story feel less like a sudden turn and more like a legal recognition of a life that had already been built here. Springfield was born in Australia and first built his music career there, but his biggest pop breakthrough, television fame, marriage, children, and later work have been tied closely to the U.S.<\/p>\n The paperwork made him American by law. His home life and career had already moved him there long before that.<\/p>\n Springfield\u2019s American breakthrough came in 1981 with \u201cJessie\u2019s Girl,\u201d the hit that remains his signature song. That same year, he became known to daytime television audiences as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital<\/a>.<\/p>\n The combination gave him two kinds of fame at once. Some fans discovered him through rock radio. Others knew him from daytime television. Over time, \u201cJessie\u2019s Girl\u201d kept finding new audiences through movies, television, radio, nostalgia playlists, and live shows.<\/p>\n Springfield\u2019s career has never sat in only one lane. He has moved between music, touring, acting, writing, and later screen appearances, which helps explain why his American life became more than a touring stop or a temporary career base.<\/p>\n Springfield married Barbara Porter in 1984, and their marriage has remained one of the constants in his private life.<\/p>\n That history matters because his citizenship explanation points back to responsibility rather than image. When celebrities talk about becoming citizens, the story can easily turn symbolic. Springfield\u2019s answer was more grounded. He was thinking about what would happen to his wife if he died first.<\/p>\n That is what makes the jury duty joke work. The real answer was not about wanting a headline. It was about protecting the person who had built a life with him.<\/p>\nSpringfield Said the Decision Started With Practical Concerns<\/h2>\n
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He Still Made Clear That He Loves America<\/h2>\n
His American Breakthrough Came Through Music and TV<\/h2>\n
His Long Marriage Gives the Story Its Heart<\/h2>\n
The Comments Arrive as He Heads Back on the Road<\/h2>\n