E Street Band
American rock band, primary backing band for Bruce Springsteen since 1972.
Manuel Martinez Perez · via Wikipedia: E Street Band · CC BY-SA 2.0
The E Street Band is an American rock group that has served as Bruce Springsteen’s main backing band since 1972. Over most of Springsteen’s recording and touring career, its core members included guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa; keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan; bassist Garry Tallent; drummer Max Weinberg; and saxophonist Clarence Clemons. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. When not working with Springsteen, its members have released solo work and built careers as session musicians, producers, songwriters, actors, and in other entertainment roles.
The band was founded in October 1972 but wasn’t formally named until September 1974. Springsteen has used other backing groups over the years, but the E Street Band has remained together more or less continuously since its start. The original lineup included Garry Tallent on bass, Clarence Clemons on saxophone, Danny Federici on keyboards and accordion, Vini “Mad Dog” Lopez on drums, and David Sancious on keyboards. The name came from E Street in Belmar, New Jersey, where Sancious’s mother lived and allowed the band to rehearse in her garage. Tourists looking for early Springsteen landmarks sometimes mistakenly think the house sat at the corner of E Street and 10th Avenue, likely because of the song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” about the band’s beginnings. The actual house was at 1107 E Street, with the garage squeezed between the house and the southside fence.
Springsteen’s debut album, *Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.*, came out in January 1973, and the band’s first national tour began in October 1972. Sancious, though he played on the album, missed that tour and didn’t start appearing regularly onstage until June 1973. In February 1974, Lopez was asked to resign and was briefly replaced by Ernest “Boom” Carter. A few months later, in August 1974, Sancious and Carter left to form their own jazz-fusion band, Tone. They were replaced in September 1974 by Roy Bittan on keyboards and Max Weinberg on drums. Violinist Suki Lahav was briefly a member before leaving in March 1975 to move to Israel, where she later found success as a songwriter and novelist. Steven Van Zandt, who had played with Springsteen in earlier bands, officially joined in July 1975.
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Origin
- Belmar, New Jersey, U.S.
- Genre
- Rock / rock and roll
- Years Active
- 1972–1989 / 1995 / 1999–present
- Label
- Columbia
- Current Members
- Bruce Springsteen / Garry Tallent / Roy Bittan / Max Weinberg / Steven Van Zandt / Nils Lofgren / Patti Scialfa / Soozie Tyrell / Charles Giordano / Jake Clemons
- Past Members
- Clarence Clemons / Danny Federici / Vini Lopez / David Sancious / Ernest Carter
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The E Street Band was founded in October 1972, but it was not formally named until September 1974. The original lineup included Garry Tallent (bass), Clarence Clemons (saxophone), Danny Federici (keyboards, accordion), Vini 'Mad Dog' Lopez (drums) and David Sancious (keyboards). The band took its name from the street in Belmar, New Jersey, where Sancious's mother lived; she allowed the band to rehearse in her garage. Tourists to the area seeking early Springsteen haunts often mistakenly believe the house was on the corner of E Street and 10th Avenue, perhaps due to the song 'Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out' about the band's beginnings. The Sancious house was at 1107 E Street with the garage squeezed between the house and the southside fence. A few months later, in August 1974, Sancious and Carter left to form their own jazz-fusion band called Tone. They were replaced in September 1974 by Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Max Weinberg (drums). Steven Van Zandt officially joined in July 1975. This lineup remained stable until the early 1980s when Van Zandt left; he would later rejoin in 1995. In June 1984, Nils Lofgren was added to replace Van Zandt; Patti Scialfa was also added. By 2002, the band also included Soozie Tyrell, though whether she became as full-fledged a member as the others remains unclear. Danny Federici took a leave of absence in November 2007 to pursue treatment for melanoma and died on April 17, 2008. Clarence Clemons suffered a stroke on June 12, 2011, and died on June 18. Clemons' nephew Jake has filled his role on the saxophone since 2012. Clemons' death left Springsteen, Sancious, Tallent, and Lopez as the four remaining original members.
Reader's Guide
The E Street Band established its reputation among studio musicians in the 1970s and 1980s with its significant contribution to Springsteen albums such as Born to Run, Darkness on the Edge of Town, The River, and Born in the U.S.A. However, unlike some backing bands, the E Street Band never received a full credit on a Springsteen studio album until later releases. Live performances were almost always billed as Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. Springsteen split concert revenues equally with the band members, a practice almost unheard of for backing bands. The band received their first full credit on a Springsteen album with Live/1975–85. When not working with Springsteen, members have recorded solo material and pursued careers as session musicians, record producers, songwriters, and actors. The band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 recognized their enduring role in rock music.
Did You Know?
- The original lineup included Vini 'Mad Dog' Lopez on drums and David Sancious on keyboards, both of whom left in 1974.
- Danny Federici died of melanoma on April 17, 2008, after a three-year battle with the disease.
- Clarence Clemons' nephew Jake has filled his role on saxophone since 2012.
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