'Jessie's Girl' Guy Still in Hospital

USE SOAP Springfield

Eighties one-hit wonder Rick Springfield charmed audiences as Dr. Noah Drake on General Hospital from 1981 to 1983, and again from 2005 to the present day. And yet, the center-parted pop prince who gave the world "Jessie's Girl" has never once used his soap as a soapbox ... until now.

ABC just announced that Springfield will sing for the first time on the soap this Friday, performing the new song "Who Killed Rock and Roll?" from his upcoming album, due out in 2008. But it won't be Dr. Drake doing the vocalizing. "This is a fun summer storyline," says GH publicist Mitch Messinger. "There is another character in this episode, a rocker named Eli Love, who, wink wink, looks exactly like Rick Springfield."

Love must have emergency surgery right before singing for a LIFEbeat benefit (LIFEbeat is a real-life AIDS charity), and Dr. Drake must pinch-hit for him at the last minute. Good thing Dr. Drake carries an ax in his medicine bag.