Mike Appel

This week my special guest is talking about his amazing life journey which took him from being a songwriter for The Partridge Family to discovering, producing and managing Bruce Springsteen.

Mike Appel always wanted to be a songwriter and musician starting his career in the Brill Building which was the heartbeat of the music industry in New York.

Born in Flushing, Queens, he was a member of groups in the 1950s and 1960s including The Balloon Farm, co-writing their 1967 hit, A Question of Temperature. Mike worked with song writing duos including Leiber & Stoller, Hugo & Luigi.

With his writing partner Jim Cretecos, five songs they penned together were recorded by The Partridge Family – the million seller Doesn't Somebody Want To Be Wanted along with I Can Feel Your Heartbeat, Somebody Wants To Love You, Rainmaker and Umbrella Man.

Mike went on to discover and manage Bruce Springsteen. He produced Springsteen's first two albums and co-produced Springsteen's third and breakthrough album, Born To Run.

In our conversation Mike talks about the skills he has learnt from other songwriters, his own writing technique, the first meeting of songwriters at the pilot showing of The Partridge Family, the legacy of that music, and how he would have managed David Cassidy.

He is currently working on a Broadway musical, Stage Door Johnny, and his autobiography.

Visit his website:

Mike Appel: writer, musician, singer, arranger & producer