R.I.P. Danny Federici, 1950 - 2008



Earlier this evening (Thursday 04/17/08), both Bruce Springsteen's website and Backstreets Magazine reported the sad news that longtime E Street Band keyboardist Danny Federici had passed away after a three year battle with melanoma.

Late last year, Federici took a leave of absense from the E Street Band's world tour in support of the Magic album, announcing his condition to the world for the first time the day after an emotional onstage farewell.



Federici did rejoin the E Street Band onstage one last time for an emotional version of "4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy)" in a concert earlier this year (see video above). "Sandy" was considered one of Federici's signature songs with the E Street Band, in particular because of his accordian work. Federici was a member of Springsteen's E Street Band for over forty years, and his distinctive keyboards are an integral part of the E Street sound heard on such songs as "Hungry Heart" and "Born To Run."

Ironically, Federici's death comes on the same day that Springsteen made headlines by endorsing Democratic senator Barack Obama's bid for the US presidency.

Earlier tonight, Springsteen released the following statement on his website:

"Danny and I worked together for 40 years - he was the most wonderfully fluid keyboard player and a pure natural musician. I loved him very much...we grew up together."
—Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen's concerts with the E Street Band scheduled for this weekend in Florida have been postponed. The Federici family is asking that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund, which will have a website up set up shortly.

For fans of Federici's immeasurable contribution to the sound of the E Street Band, this is a tremendous loss. Our thoughts go out to them, and to the family and friends of "The Phantom."