Why Isn’t the E Street Band in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Springsteen, of course, is in.  But what about his band?  Phil Marder makes the argument at Goldmine:

The records, for the most part, read Bruce Springsteen.

But most concert banners screamed “Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.” And most record buyers understood the record cover may say “Bruce Springsteen,” but the music said “Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.”

Springsteen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1999, his first year of eligibility. He has been one of the Hall’s most active supporters, before and since his induction, becoming a fixture at the yearly banquets. A true Rock historian, he has played a major role in calling attention to some early Rock & Roll stars who otherwise may have slipped through the cracks – Darlene Love, for example. I call Springsteen a “true” Rock historian because he has studied the music’s foundations not from a critic’s viewpoint, but from the viewpoint of one who truly loves the music and understands the talent necessary to produce it.

All things considered, it is now time for Springsteen to help get his band mates inducted. For while Springsteen is recognized as one of Rock’s greatest songwriters, often a great singer and almost always a great live performer, it also should be remembered that he has assembled and maintained perhaps the greatest band in the history of Rock & Roll.

“The Boss” probably would have achieved superstar status without his employees. But his recordings may have lacked some elements of brilliance and it’s hard to imagine his stage marathons being the ultimate live experience without his colleagues.

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