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Nils Lofgren / Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band

Website | MySpace

Nils Lofgren—acclaimed guitar master, successful solo artist, Neil Young sideman at age 18 and guitarist for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band since 1984. That’s some résumé.

Born in Chicago in 1951, Lofgren took up accordion at age five after his family moved to the Washington, D.C. area. Something of a musical prodigy, he studied music throughout his childhood—including classical and jazz—and took up guitar and piano after being smitten by rock music. He formed popular rock band Grin in 1969 in Washington, D.C. before joining Neil Young at age 17 in time to play piano on Young’s landmark After the Gold Rush album (1970), despite having no experience as a session keyboardist. Lofgren also briefly joined the band that Young had enlisted, Crazy Horse, and played on the group’s famous eponymous debut album in 1971.

Lofgren also played on Young’s Tonight’s the Night album and tour (1975), Trans (1982) and Unplugged (1993). Lofgren has maintained a good relationship with Young all along.

Meanwhile, Grin continued to achieve success whenever Lofgren wasn’t busy with Young; the band released four well-received albums from 1971 to 1974, with most songs written and sung by Lofgren. Lofgren’s brother, Tom, joined the group as rhythm guitarist.

Lofgren launched a successful solo career after Grin disbanded in 1974. His eponymous debut solo album drew rave reviews and solid sales. He continued to record and tour for the rest of the decade, with concerts that presented his talent for physical theatrics such as doing trampoline flips while playing (Lofgren was a gymnast in high school).

Perhaps most famously, Lofgren was enlisted by Bruce Springsteen in 1984 to replace Steven Van Zandt in the E Street Band on the eve of Springsteen’s massively successful Born in the U.S.A. album and tour. Lofgren has been an E Street guitarist ever since, including the 1988 “Tunnel of Love Express” tour, 1999 reunion tour, The Rising album and tour (2002-2003), the Magic album and tour (2007-2008) and the Working on a Dream album and tour (2008-2009).

Lofgren also continued to record and tour as a solo act, performing with Patti Scialfa, Neil Young and Ringo Starr. Many of the people he worked with on those tours appeared on his 1991 album, Silver Lining. Lofgren released Sacred Weapon and live DVD Nils Lofgren & Friends: Acoustic Live in 2006.

He played guitar for Jerry Lee Lewis on Lewis’ Last Man Standing Live concert DVD in 2007, and released The Loner: Nils Sings Neil, an album of acoustic Neil Young covers, in 2008.

My Gear

Fender Acoustics

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0955620021 Ukulele Pa'ina- Solid Mahogany w/ Electronics	0955640021 Ukulele Nohea - All Koa
0968005027 T-Bucket™ 300 CE

Fender Bass Guitars

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0190668706 American Standard Jazz Bass® Fretless

Fender Electric Guitars

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0100800806 American Vintage '62 Jazzmaster®	0110400700 American Standard Stratocaster®
0110400706 American Standard Stratocaster®

Fender Guitar Amplifiers

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0215700000 Twin-Amp™	8110000010 Vibro-King® Custom
2354500000 G-DEC® 3 Thirty