Organist Danny Federici of The E Street Band Died of Cancer Today

[MadBadger]

DANNY FEDERICI

Danny Federici, for 40 years the E Street Band's organist and keyboard player, died this afternoon, April 17, 2008 at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City after a three year battle with melanoma.

Bruce Springsteen's concerts scheduled for Friday in Ft. Lauderdale and Saturday in Orlando performance are being postponed. Replacement dates will be announced shortly.

http://brucespringsteen.net/news/index.html



Just thought anybody would want to know for the Springsteen fans out there. I was supposed to fly to Florida for his show tomorrow. It wont be happening now and neither will the Orlando show.

[Ichingcarpenter]

1. He was a major part of the 'sound' of the original band

During in-concert band intros, Springsteen often referred to him as "Phantom," sometimes said to be because of an incident in Asbury Park in the 1960s where Federici evaded a police crackdown that resulted in the arrest of numerous others. Federici attended high school at Hunterdon Central High School in New Jersey.<3> When he, along with Vini Lopez started the band Child at the end of the 1960s, their choice for a singer fell on Bruce Springsteen;<2> Federici also joined Springsteen in other early efforts such as Steel Mill.

Federici's organ fills are a key component in the E Street sound, and sometimes take on a more prominent role, such as on the hit "Hungry Heart". His use of the electronic glockenspiel is also an easily recognized E Street element; he has since used electronic keyboards to simulate the glockenspiel sound. Another notable performance is his accordion solo on "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)." It was reported in an interview in Backstreets magazine that Federici did not have the best working relationship while playing with pianist David Sancious in the early days of the E Street Band; Sancious would comment on Federici's parts, constantly telling him what to play and what not to play.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Federici

Rest in Peace

[MadBadger]

2. I'm just shocked by all this.

[El Pinko]

3. The shocking thing is that it's normal.

With all condolences to Federici's family, friends and fans, this is one of the sad things we face as we get older.

Our friends, family, and the icons of cool that we grew up with start dropping off all around us. At first it's just a few, but eventually it seems like they're all passing on.

I'm not all that old, but I'm old enough that I once held out hope of a Beatles reunion, and some fat schmuck ruined any chance of that.


:cry:

[MadBadger]

4. Im trying my best not to feel selfish

I'm really sad that he died, and I'm also really upset that the one show I've bought tickets too I cant go to. He'll reschedule it, but I was flying to Florida to see it to visit my grandmother (but really to see the show). I'm a newcomer to Springsteen and this was only going to be my second E Street show in 5 years and I was soo excited. I'm not bitter that the show was cancelled because I understand completely, but I'm down too cuz I was really looking forward to the show.