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E Street Band

The E Street Band is an American rock band that has been the primary backing band for rock musician Bruce Springsteen since 1972. In 2014, the E Street Band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing career, the band 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.

When not working with Springsteen, members of the band have recorded solo material and have pursued successful careers as session musicians, record producers, songwriters, actors and other roles in entertainment.

History[edit]

Members[edit]

The E Street Band was founded in October 1972, but it was not formally named until September 1974.[2][3] Springsteen has put together other backing bands during his career, but the E Street Band has been together more or less continuously since its inception.


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' mother lived; she allowed the band to rehearse in her garage. Tourists to the area seeking sight of 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.[4]


Springsteen's debut Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. was released in January 1973, and the band's first national tour began in October 1972. Sancious, even though he played on the album, missed that first tour. It was not until June 1973 that he began appearing regularly on stage with the band.


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 called Tone. They were replaced in September 1974 by Roy Bittan (keyboards) and Max Weinberg (drums). Violinist Suki Lahav was briefly a member of the band before leaving in March 1975 to emigrate to Israel (where she would later find success as a songwriter and novelist). Steven Van Zandt (guitar, vocals), who had long been associated with Springsteen and had played in previous bands with him, officially joined the band in July 1975.

1974–1977

Born to Run tours

1978–1979

Darkness Tour

1980–1981

The River Tour

1984–1985

Born in the U.S.A. Tour

1988

Tunnel of Love Express Tour

Amnesty International Tour, 1988

Human Rights Now!

1999–2000

Reunion Tour

2002–2003

The Rising Tour

2004

Vote for Change Tour

2007–2008

Magic Tour

2009

Working On a Dream Tour

2012–2013

Wrecking Ball Tour

2014

High Hopes Tour

2016

The River Tour 2016

2017

Summer '17

2023–present

2023 Tour

– lead vocals, guitars, harmonica, keyboards (1972–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Bruce Springsteen

– bass, backing vocals (1972–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Garry Tallent

– piano, accordion, keyboards, backing vocals (1974–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Roy Bittan

– drums, percussion, backing vocals (1974–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Max Weinberg

– rhythm and lead guitars, harmony and backing vocals, mandolin (1975–1984, 1995, 1999–present)

Steven Van Zandt

– lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals, accordion (1984–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Nils Lofgren

– harmony and backing vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, synthesizers (1984–1989, 1995, 1999–present)

Patti Scialfa

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Live/1975–85

Bruce Springsteen

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.

Ronnie Spector & the E Street Band

Gary U.S. Bonds

Dedication

Other albums/singles

Musicians United for Safe Energy