Very nice piece Gibson.

-Glen

It's been a long, strange night for a lot of us. Personally, I still can't believe it...the last I had heard I was doing better. Anyway, you did a very nice job with this Donald.

R.I.P. Phantom.

-Glen

HE was doing better meant to say above. Like I said, a long strange night..

-Glen

One of my first memories in a lifelong love affair with Springsteen's music was that organ solo on "Hungry Heart" and how out of place it sounded on the radio at the time. Out of place in a good way. His work on The River album makes it one of the reasons it's my favorite Bruce "era".

Farewell Phantom Dan.

I was listening to The River yesterday and kept think how Danny stood out on it. He will be the Spirit In The Night at every show.

This is just so sad and all-of-a-sudden that I'm almost at a loss for words. But great job reporting this professionally, Don.

Okay, now that I've given myself a minute or two to think about this, I must say first that the tag-time of Roy and Dan, piano and keyboard/organ in Bruce's E Street band was one of the best that any rock and roll band has ever produced. Such glorious, beautiful songs like "Racing In The Street" and of course, "Hungry Heart" and so many others stand out.

I'm just so glad my family and I got to see him perform his second-to-last ever gig -- 3/20/08 was his last as Don said -- in Boston on November 19. It was a fantastic show as usual (and Peter Wolf made a cameo near the end as well, drunk as he was!). We knew something was up that night, we knew there was some reason Nils kept playing his guitar next to Dan for half the night and some reason the crowd up front chanted "Danny!" "Danny" after it was all over.

Then, a day after that show when I heard that Danny was sick with melanoma I was as shocked then as I am now. I didn't know this could kill someone that quickly. After all, one of the candidates running from president recovered from it (John McCain) from what I hear as did Red Sox Curt Schilling's wife (who now promotes awareness of this disease). I guess it's yet another unpredictable form of cancer and he must've had the most serious type of melanoma (which I think is called "malignant melanoma"). I give my condolences to "Phantom" Dan and his family.

Danny Federici was in many ways E Street's secret weapon - those organ fills tied their sound to so many essential keystones in rock history. He'll be missed by many people in many ways. Thanx for everything, DF.

Sk.

Growing up across the street from me on Pennsylvania Ave. in Flemington, N.J. back in the 60's, was this quiet, red-headed kid who would just blow you away with his accordian playing abilities. As the years moved on, my sisters and I would wander on over and sit in the grass under the shade of a tree and watch Dan and his garage band rehearse and the music fill the neighborhood -- until the cops would come and shut it down. Guess we were some of the lucky ones -- getting front row seats to some of his earliest concerts. One day, he just kind of up and left and nobody (including his parents) were really sure just where he was -- but knew it was "down by the shore somewhere". I remember being totally blown away years later when he surfaced again and Dan was playing keyboards for this popular new artist called Bruce Springsteen -- who was this guy? But one listen to that first album and we all knew that this guy was going to be on the ride of his life. I don't think the neighborhood or may family was ever so proud of one person as much as we all were of Dan. That was a long time ago -- many concerts and fond memories and now sadly...lots of tears shed. We're all going to miss you and your special gifts you've brought to all of us! Peace be with you my friend.

Well, I'm the little sister to Jeff (see 4/22 blog) I was young at the time, and I vaguely remember the "outdoor concerts" and wondered what all the fuss was about..I do vividly remember Danny coming over to our house one day with his amazing happy grin and red hair and freckles, bringing a set of walkie-talkies with him to show my older sister, brother, and me. We got together on occassion. I had never seen walkie talkies before and it was the first time I had the thrill of speaking into one..so thanks, Danny. Danny's love and devotion to music were evident by the sacrifices he made in his life to keep playing. I'm so glad so many thousands of people were touched over the years by his talent. I like his personal online advice about being checked for melanoma (skin cancer) and how it can save a life. May he now rest in the Peace of Christ, with those he loves.