So long, Danny

Danny Federici, long-time organist in the E Street Band, died yesterday in New York.. Last November he quit Springsteen's current tour to receive treatment for melanoma. It was thought at the time that he'd return to the band for this summer's tour but it wasn't to be. When Springsteen changed his onstage announcement about Danny from 'we hope we'll be seeing him soon' to 'keep him in your prayers and thoughts' it was clear that something wasn't right. I've said it before but there's something about the unique brotherhood (and sisterhood) that the E Street Band have that lifts the music they play to a different place. Really it doesn't matter what you think of the songs, I don't think many people could watch an E Street Band show and not get a sense of the history and joy they've shared for so long. Up until last year it was a great source of pride for Springsteen that his band had stayed healthy and well for so long. That landscape has changed forever now..

About a month ago in Indianapolis, He had dinner with some of the E Streeters who cajoled him into coming on stage that night for a few songs. The clip above is from a rare performance of Sandy, one of the band's earliest songs. It's structured around Danny's accordion and manages to conjure up feelings of youthful desire and warm, endless summers. Even in cold, windy Dublin..

It was fitting that when Danny left the band in November, the audience was able to give him the send off he deserved. And with that performance last month it's only tight that he got to take one last bow before leaving. Saying he'll be missed really is understating things.

Now I'm off to listen to Kitty's Back and wipe the dust from my eye.