Which Bruce Springsteen backing band received the Rock Hall’s Award for Musical Excellence in 2014? The answer is the E Street Band.
The E Street Band received the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Award for Musical Excellence in 2014. Bruce Springsteen, whose concerts and recordings they had powered for decades, inducted the band and spoke about its distinctive identity and musicianship.
The group emerged from the New Jersey music scene and became Springsteen’s best-known backing ensemble. Its lineup has included Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, Garry Tallent, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg, Steven Van Zandt and Nils Lofgren, among others.
The award is distinct from the Hall’s Performer category. Springsteen himself entered the Hall as a performer in 1999, while the E Street Band’s 2014 recognition honored the musicians’ collective contribution. The Heartbreakers, Crazy Horse and the Silver Bullet Band are separate backing groups associated with other major artists.