4 “And” Bands That Raised the Game for Their Frontmen

There are many songwriters who have carved out amazing careers without ever settling on a definitive backing band. But we’re here to put the spotlight on four legends who hit their full potential only with the help of a steady group of supporting musicians.

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In each of these cases, the backing band became a formidable force all their own. Without them, the four frontmen might not have reached the same heights.

The E Street Band

Little by little, Bruce Springsteen put together the unit that would become the “legendary E Street Band,” as he would often label them in concert. Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, and Clarence Clemons were aboard during the making of his first two albums. Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan joined right before the making of the Born To Run album, which sent Springsteen into the stratosphere. Steven Van Zandt went from a kind of advisory role to a full-fledged member with Darkness On The Edge Of Town in 1978. Meanwhile, Nils Lofgren and Springsteen’s future wife, Patti Scialfa, made for key additions in the 80s. It’s a unit that has lost some members but none of its power and soul.

The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty had a band named Mudcrutch that couldn’t quite get off the ground in the first half of the 70s. By the middle of the decade, it was becoming clear that Petty’s songwriting just couldn’t be ignored anymore. When he signed his record deal, it was with the intent of him being a solo act. But Petty kept gravitating back to that earlier band, especially a couple of key members in guitarist Mike Campbell and keyboardist Benmont Tench. They became part of the Heartbreakers. The fact that they were credited on Petty’s very first album should tell you how much he thought of them. Over the years, the lineup shuffled a bit, although Campbell and Tench remained stalwarts.

The Silver Bullet Band

Bob Seger battled his way through the late 60s and early 70s without much commercial success following an early Top 25 hit with “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man”. He constantly toured to build up a local following in the Midwest. But national success didn’t really take place for him until he assembled the Silver Bullet Band. In the case of his biggest records from the mid to late 70s, Seger would often split his recordings between the Silver Bullet Band and session pros from Muscle Shoals. But when it came to incredible live records like Live Bullet, you could hear the chemistry the Silver Bullet Band shared with Seger and his music.

The Attractions

Elvis Costello recorded his debut album mostly backed by a San Francisco group named Clover. Several of the members of that outfit would go on to help Huey Lewis as part of his band the News. Meanwhile, Costello set about auditioning players for a permanent band. Up stepped keyboardist Steve Nieve, bassist Bruce Thomas, and drummer Pete Thomas. Their playing style, quick, fierce, and colorful, proved to be just the right fit for Costello’s breathless vocal rants. The Attractions helped Costello realize brilliant albums like This Year’s Model and Imperial Bedroom. When Davey Faragher replaced Bruce Thomas, they became the Imposters.

Photo by John Cavanaugh