Danny Federici facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danny Federici
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Federici playing organ with the E Street Band, November 2007
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | Phantom Dan |
| Born | January 23, 1950 Flemington, New Jersey |
| Died | April 17, 2008 (aged 58) New York City, New York |
| Genres | Rock, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Keyboards, accordion, glockenspiel |
| Years active | 1968–2008 |
| Labels | Hip-O Records, V2 Records, Music Masters Jazz, Columbia |
Daniel Paul Federici (born January 23, 1950 – died April 17, 2008) was an American musician. He was best known as a founding member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In the band, he played the organ, accordion, and glockenspiel. Federici played on ten of Springsteen's studio albums.
In 2014, Federici was honored after his death by being added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band.
Contents
Danny Federici's Music Career
Federici started playing the accordion when he was seven years old. He learned by watching The Lawrence Welk Show on TV. After he became good at classical music and polka, his mom booked him to play at parties, clubs, and on the radio.
While he kept studying classical accordion, he also became interested in jazz and blues. This happened after he heard a professor play these styles on the accordion at a music school in Philadelphia.
Joining the E Street Band
In the late 1960s, Federici and Vini Lopez started a band called Child. They chose Bruce Springsteen as their singer. Federici also joined Springsteen in other early bands, like Steel Mill.
During concerts, Bruce Springsteen often called Federici "Phantom Dan." Some say this nickname came from an event in Asbury Park in the 1960s. Federici managed to avoid police during a crackdown, while many others were arrested.
His Unique Sound
Federici's organ playing was a very important part of the E Street Band's sound. Sometimes, his organ parts were even more noticeable, like in the hit song "Hungry Heart".
He also created the special E Street glockenspiel sound. He used a rare keyboard glockenspiel called a Jenco Celestette. Danny would place this instrument on top of his Hammond B3 Organ. Later, he used electronic keyboards to make a similar glockenspiel sound.
Another famous performance was his accordion solo on the song "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)".
Solo Music and Other Projects
When the E Street Band was not active for a long time in the 1990s, Federici played with a band called Diamondback. He recorded one album with them called "Ragin Wind." His accordion and organ playing became a key part of their sound.
During this time, Federici also recorded his own jazz album called Flemington. He named it after his hometown of Flemington, New Jersey. Other E Street Band members, bassist Garry Tallent and guitarist Nils Lofgren, helped him on the album. He later released other solo albums, including Sweet and Out of a Dream. Federici also played on records for other artists, like Joan Armatrading and Graham Parker.
Illness and Passing
On November 21, 2007, it was announced that Federici would take a break from the E Street Band's Magic Tour. He needed to get treatment for melanoma, a type of cancer. Another musician, Charles Giordano, temporarily took his place. Bruce Springsteen said at the time, "Danny is one of the pillars of our sound and has played beside me as a great friend for more than 40 years. We all eagerly await his healthy and speedy return."
Federici returned to the stage only once more. This was on March 20, 2008, during a Springsteen and E Street Band show in Indianapolis. Danny Federici passed away on April 17, 2008, at a hospital in New York City. He had been battling melanoma for three years. Bruce Springsteen's album Working on a Dream is dedicated to him.
The Danny Federici Melanoma Fund
After Danny Federici's passing, The Danny Federici Melanoma Fund was started. This fund helps research and develop new treatments for melanoma. It supports clinical trials at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The fund also works to make people more aware of the disease.
On July 15, 2008, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band released a special collection of songs and videos called Magic Tour Highlights. All the money from this release went to the fund. It included a performance of "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" from Federici's last show in Indianapolis.
Tours with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
- Various tours, 1972–1974
- Born to Run tours, 1974–1977
- Darkness Tour, 1978–1979
- The River Tour, 1980–1981
- Born in the U.S.A. Tour, 1984–1985
- Tunnel of Love Express Tour, 1988
- Human Rights Now! Amnesty International Tour, 1988
- Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Reunion Tour, 1999–2000
- The Rising Tour, 2002–2003
- Vote for Change Tour, 2004
- Magic Tour, 2007–2008
Discography
Solo releases
- Flemington (1997)
- Danny Federici (2001)
- Sweet (2004)
- Out of a Dream (2005)
Bruce Springsteen Albums
- The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle (1973)
- Born to Run (1975) (on the title track only)
- Darkness on the Edge of Town (1978)
- The River (1980)
- Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
- Live/1975–85 (1986)
- Tunnel of Love (1987)
- Chimes of Freedom (1988)
- Greatest Hits (1995)
- Blood Brothers (1996)
- Tracks (1998)
- 18 Tracks (1999)
- Live in New York City (2001)
- The Rising (2002)
- The Essential Bruce Springsteen (2003)
- Hammersmith Odeon London '75 (2006)
- Magic (2007)
- Magic Tour Highlights (2008) (Released after his death)
- Working on a Dream (2009) (Released after his death)
- The Promise (2010) (Released after his death)
- High Hopes (2014) (Released after his death)
See also
In Spanish: Danny Federici para niños
