Steven Van Zandt (né Lento; born November 22, 1950), also known as Little Steven or Miami Steve, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is a member of Bruce Springsteen's

E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...

, in which he plays guitar and mandolin. He has appeared in several television drama series, including as

Silvio Dante Silvio Manfred Dante is a fictional character on the HBO TV series ''The Sopranos'', played by Steven Van Zandt. He is the consigliere and right-hand man to Tony Soprano in the DiMeo crime family. John Magaro portrays a young Silvio Dante in ...

in ''

The Sopranos ''The Sopranos'' is an American crime drama television series created by David Chase. The story revolves around Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), a New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster, portraying his difficulties as he tries to balance ...

'' (1999–2007) and as Frank Tagliano in ''

Lilyhammer ''Lilyhammer'' is a crime comedy-drama television series starring Steven Van Zandt about a former New York-based gangster named Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano trying to start a new life in isolated Lillehammer, Norway. The first season premiered on ...

'' (2012–2014). Van Zandt has his own solo band called Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul, intermittently active since the 1980s. In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the E Street Band. Van Zandt has produced music, written songs, and had his own songs covered by Bruce Springsteen,

Meat Loaf Michael Lee Aday (born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947 – January 20, 2022), known professionally as Meat Loaf, was an American rock singer and actor. He was noted for his powerful, wide-ranging voice and theatrical live shows. He is on t ...

Nancy Sinatra Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra ( Barbato), and is best known for her 1966 signature hit " These Boots Are Made for Walkin'. Nancy Sinatr ...

, Pearl Jam,

Artists United Against Apartheid Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Steven Van Zandt and record producer Arthur Baker to protest against apartheid in South Africa. The group produced the song " Sun City" and the album ' ...

, and the Iron City Houserockers, among others.

Early life

Van Zandt was born Steven Lento on November 22, 1950 to Mary Henrietta (née Lento) Van Zandt and Vince Borello, in

Winthrop, Massachusetts Winthrop is a town in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,316 at the 2020 census. Winthrop is an ocean-side suburban community in Greater Boston situated at the north entrance to Boston Harbor, close to Logan Int ...

. He is of partial Italian descent; his grandfather was from Calabria and his grandmother's parents were from

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

. His mother, Mary, remarried in 1957 and he took the last name of his stepfather, William Brewster Van Zandt. The family moved to

Middletown Township, New Jersey Middletown Township is a township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township had a total population of 67,106, making it the most-populous municipality in the county and the state's 16th ...

, when he was seven. Van Zandt found his love for music at an early age, when he learned how to play the guitar. He watched the performances of the Beatles on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' and

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the album era, rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the g ...

on '' Hollywood Palace'' in 1964, and referred to the former as "The Big Bang of Rock n' Roll".1964-06-03
. ''Brucebase''. Brucebase, 16 March 2017. Web. 25 March 2017. He said that when he was 13, George Harrison was his favorite Beatle, and he later became friends with

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

and Ringo Starr.Steven Van Zandt: 25 Things You Don't Know About Me
". ''

Us Weekly ''Us Weekly'' is a weekly celebrity and entertainment magazine based in New York City. ''Us Weekly'' was founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986, and sold to American Media Inc ...

''. Us Weekly, 15 December 2013. Web. 25 March 2017. Around August 1964, he formed his first band, the Whirlwinds, which was short-lived. He later formed the Mates in 1965 and joined the Shadows in May 1966. Van Zandt has cited

British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on ...

bands such as the

Dave Clark Five The Dave Clark Five, also known as the DC5, were an English rock and roll band formed in 1958 in Tottenham, London. Drummer Dave Clark served as the group's leader, producer and co-songwriter. In January 1964 they had their first UK top ten sin ...

, as well as

Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar (; born Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury, sometimes spelled as Rabindra Shankar Chowdhury; 7 April 1920 – 11 December 2012) was an Indian sitarist and composer. A sitar virtuoso, he became the world's best-known export of North In ...

and the culture of India, as early influences. Van Zandt attended Middletown High School, where he got kicked out for having long hair. He went back to school to appease his mother and graduated in 1968. As a teenager, he was involved in a car accident that caused him to smash his head through the windshield, leaving several scars on his head. To cover this up, he began wearing hats, and later, large bandanas, which has become his characteristic look. Actor

Billy Van Zandt William Van Zandt (born December 13, 1957) is an American playwright and actor, and the author of the best-selling TV memoir ''Get in the Car, Jane (Adventures in the TV Wasteland).'' Early life Van Zandt was born in Red Bank, New Jersey, to Ma ...

is Van Zandt's half-brother and actress

Adrienne Barbeau Adrienne Jo Barbeau (born June 11, 1945) is an American actress, singer and the author of three books. Barbeau came to prominence in the 1970s as Broadway's original Rizzo in the musical '' Grease'', and as Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter o ...

is his ex-sister-in-law. He also has a half-sister named Kathi, who is a writer.

Career

Band member

Van Zandt grew up in the Jersey Shore music scene, and was an early friend and pre-E Street bandmate of Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen met Van Zandt for the first time in 1965 when Springsteen went to the Hullabaloo club in Middletown. Van Zandt was performing a cover of

the Turtles ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

' " Happy Together" with the Shadows. Springsteen, Bruce. ''

Born to Run ''Born to Run'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on August 25, 1975, by Columbia Records. As his effort to break into the mainstream, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number three ...

''.

Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...

, 2016. They performed together in bands such as Steel Mill and the Bruce Springsteen Band.Steve Van Zandt
''Brucebase'' Brucebase, 4 February 2017. Web. 25 March 2017. During the early 1970s, Van Zandt worked in road construction for two years, before returning to show business.Little Steven Visits the Howard Stern Show to Promote Lilyhammer 1/31/12
". ''

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

''. YouTube, 24 February 2017. Web. 25 March 2017. In 1973, he toured with

The Dovells The Dovells were an American doo-wop group, formed at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1957, under the name 'The Brooktones'. The original members were Arnie Silver, Len Borisoff, Jerry Gross (alias Summers), Mike Freda, a ...

. The tour ended in Miami on December 31, 1974 with

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting '' American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 19 ...

's Good Old Rock 'n' Roll Show at the Deauville Star Theater. After going back to Jersey, Van Zandt continued wearing Hawaiian shirts because he did not particularly like winter, which was how he got the nickname "Miami Steve". He co-founded

Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes are an American musical group from the Jersey Shore led by Southside Johnny. They have been recording albums since 1976 and are closely associated with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. They have recor ...

, in addition to

The Miami Horns The Miami Horns are an American horn section best known for touring and recording with Southside Johnny, Bruce Springsteen, Little Steven and The Max Weinberg 7. They have also toured, performed or recorded with, among others, Diana Ross, Gary U ...

, who got their name from Van Zandt's nickname. Van Zandt helped establish the rhythm and blues oriented style of music that the band performed. He also produced Southside Johnny's first three albums. Overall, Van Zandt wrote a significant bulk of Southside Johnny's music which helped provide them with the success that they achieved. Van Zandt then started to switch between writing for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes and touring with the E Street Band. He confirmed in an interview on ''

The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...

'' that he arranged the horns on " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" in 1975 when Springsteen was at a loss, earning him a spot in the

shortly thereafter.Prince, Patrick.
When Steven Van Zandt joined Springsteen's E Street Band
". '' Goldmine''.

F+W Media F+W, (formerly F+W Publications and F+W Media), was a media and e-commerce company headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1913, F+W published magazines, books, digital products (including e-books and e-magazines), produced online video, offe ...

, 30 July 2010. Web. 26 March 2017. In the ''

Wings For Wheels ''Born to Run'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on August 25, 1975, by Columbia Records. As his effort to break into the mainstream, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number three ...

'' documentary, Springsteen revealed that Van Zandt was partially responsible for the signature guitar line in "

"; "Arguably Steve's greatest contribution to my music."Stevie Van Zandt
". '' Bruce Springsteen''.

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

, 2017. Web. 26 March 2017. Ultimately, Van Zandt officially joined the E Street Band on July 20, 1975 during the first show of the Born to Run Tour. In those early years, Van Zandt supplied a great deal of the lead guitar work for the band in concert, as can be seen on the 1975 concert DVD within '' Born to Run 30th Anniversary Edition'' (later released as the CD ''

Hammersmith Odeon London '75 ''Hammersmith Odeon, London '75'' is a concert video and the fourth live album by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, released in 2006. It is a full-length recording of their performance on November 18, 1975, at the Hammersmith Odeon in Lo ...

''). In 1984, Van Zandt left the E Street Band.Levy, Piet.
Years by Springsteen's side a gift for guitarist Nils Lofgren
". '' Milwaukee Journal Sentinel''.

Gannett Company, Inc. Gannett Co., Inc. () is an American mass media holding company headquartered in McLean, Virginia, in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Russell, Lisa.
Little Steven (van Zandt) Says Goodbye to the Boss
". ''

People A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...

''.

Time Inc. Time Inc. was an American worldwide mass media corporation founded on November 28, 1922, by Henry Luce and Briton Hadden and based in New York City. It owned and published over 100 magazine brands, including its namesake ''Time'', ''Sports Illu ...

, 10 September 1984. Web. 36 March 2017. Despite leaving the band, he appeared as a special guest at certain concerts on the Born in the U.S.A. Tour and appeared in a couple of videos, including the one for " Glory Days". Little Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen

Little Steven Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen

Later in life, Van Zandt returned to the E Street Band when it was reformed (briefly in 1995, and on an ongoing basis since 1999) and remains a member. By this time, his guitar playing had mostly been reduced to a background rhythm role, due to Nils Lofgren's position in the band and his capability as a lead guitarist. In addition, Springsteen had begun taking many more guitar solos as his music became more guitar-centered. Van Zandt said on the ''Howard Stern Show'' that he is okay with being second in command, especially since he has been in charge before with his solo music and his role in ''Lilyhammer''. Notwithstanding this, among E Street Band members he often had the second-most "face time" in concert after

Clarence Clemons Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for The E Street Band. Clemons released several s ...

, frequently mugging and posing for the audience and sometimes delivering his unpolished, nasal backing vocals while sharing a microphone with Springsteen. His playing or singing is most prominently featured on the songs " Glory Days", "Two Hearts", "Long Walk Home" (which featured a Van Zandt outro vocal solo during live performances) "

Land of Hope and Dreams "Land of Hope and Dreams" is a 1999 song written by Bruce Springsteen and performed by Springsteen and the E Street Band. After being performed on tour and released on multiple live albums, a studio recording was released for the first time on ''W ...

", "

Badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, m ...

", "Ramrod", and "Murder Incorporated", among others like the live versions of " Rosalita". He often trades vocals with Springsteen in live versions of "Prove It All Night". He features prominently in the video for "Glory Days", sharing the spotlight with Springsteen during the choruses, while swapping lines with him during the (non)fade, and in live versions he does the same. During the E Street Band's performance at the Super Bowl in 2009, Van Zandt was the most prominently featured member of the band, playing a guitar solo on the final number of the set, "Glory Days," as well as sharing lead vocals and exchanging humorous banter with Springsteen.Greene, Andy.
Van Zandt on Springsteen Tour, Super Bowl Rumors and How Garage Bands Can Blow Up
". ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

''. 3 March 2009. Accessed 26 March 2017.

Songwriter, arranger, producer

Van Zandt became a songwriter and producer for fellow Jersey shore act

in 1974, penning their signature song " I Don't Want to Go Home", co-writing other songs for them with Springsteen, and producing their most-acclaimed record, ''

Hearts of Stone "Hearts of Stone" is an American R&B song. It became a #1 hit on two of the Billboard three lists, ''Best Sellers in Stores'' and ''Most Played in Jukeboxes'' in 1955 for The Fontane Sisters. It was written by Eddie Ray and Rudy Jackson, me ...

''.Career Timeline 1970s
. ''Little Steven Online''.

Wayback Machine The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...

. Archived on October 14, 2000. Web. 1 April 2017. As such, Van Zandt became a key contributor to the

Jersey Shore sound The Jersey Shore sound is a genre of rock and roll popularized at the Jersey Shore on the Atlantic Ocean coast of New Jersey, United States. The Jersey Shore sound evolved from the mixing of pre-Beatles rock and roll, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, ...

. He also produced two Gary U.S. Bonds albums. Van Zandt then went on to share production credits on the classic Springsteen albums '' The River'' and '' Born in the U.S.A.''Career Timeline 1980s
. ''Little Steven Online''.

. Archived on July 18, 2006. Web. 1 April 2016. The first Springsteen song he co-produced was "

Hungry Heart "Hungry Heart" is a ballad written and performed by Bruce Springsteen on his fifth album, '' The River''. It was released as the album's lead single in 1980 and became Springsteen's first big hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart peaking at numb ...

." In 1989, Jackson Browne covered the 1983 Van Zandt composition "I Am A Patriot" on his ''

World in Motion "World in Motion..." is a song by British musical group New Order (performed with the England national football team, credited as ENGLANDneworder). The song is New Order's only number-one song on the UK Singles Chart. It was produced for the En ...

'' album. Van Zandt has produced a number of other records, including an uncredited effort on the Iron City Houserockers' ''Have A Good Time (But Get Out Alive)''. Less successful was his work on

Lone Justice Lone Justice is an American country rock band formed in 1982 by guitarist Ryan Hedgecock and singer Maria McKee. They have recently announced they are recording new material as per Marvin Etzioni July 2022. They are part of a new exhibit in Se ...

's second album ''

Shelter Shelter is a small building giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. Shelter may also refer to: Places * Port Shelter, Hong Kong * Shelter Bay (disambiguation), various locations * Shelter Cove (disambiguation), various locatio ...

'', which was a career-ending flop for the Los Angeles

cowpunk Cowpunk (or country punk) is a subgenre of punk rock that began in the United Kingdom and Southern California in the late 1970s - early 1980s. It combines punk rock or new wave with country, folk, and blues in its sound, lyrical subject matte ...

band. In 1989, Van Zandt wrote "While You Were Looking at Me" for

Michael Monroe Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm (born 17 June 1962), better known by his stage name Michael Monroe, is a Finnish rock musician who rose to fame as the vocalist for the glam punk band Hanoi Rocks, and has served as the frontman for all-star sid ...

's album '' Not Fakin' It'' and co-wrote videohits "Dead, Jail or Rock'n Roll" and "Smoke Screen". He was an arranger and backing vocalist for a few songs on the album. In 1992, he produced Austin TX-based

Arc Angels Arc Angels is a Blues rock supergroup formed in Austin, Texas in the early 1990s. The band came together after the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan and was composed of Vaughan’s friends Doyle Bramhall II and Charlie Sexton and two of the band memb ...

' debut album. In 1991 Van Zandt produced a successful album, ''Spirit of Love'', for Nigerian superstar and reggae icon,

Majek Fashek Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek (March 1963 – 1 June 2020) was a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His 1988 album ''Prisoner of Conscience'' included the single "Send Down the Rain", which won six PMAN Music Award ...

. In 1992, Van Zandt wrote and produced " All Alone on Christmas" for the soundtrack of the Chris Columbus film '' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'', which yielded singer

Darlene Love Darlene Wright (born July 26, 1941), known professionally as Darlene Love, is an American singer and actress. She was the lead singer of the girl group the Blossoms and she also recorded as a solo artist. She began singing as a child with her ...

her first hit since "A Fine, Fine Boy" from 1963, thirty-one years earlier. In 1994, Van Zandt produced the eponymous debut album of the punk rock band Demolition 23 which featured ex-

Hanoi Rocks Hanoi Rocks was a Finnish rock band formed in 1979. They were the first Finnish band to chart in the UK and they were also popular in Japan. The band broke up in June 1985 after drummer Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley died in a drunk driving accide ...

members

and

Sami Yaffa Sami Yaffa (born Sami Lauri Takamäki; 4 September 1963) is a Finnish bass guitarist best known for his work in New York Dolls, Michael Monroe's bands, and Hanoi Rocks. He is currently the bassist for the Michael Monroe band and The Compulsions ...

. Van Zandt also co-wrote six songs for the album with Monroe and Jude Wilder. In 1995, Van Zandt aided

with the song "Amnesty Is Granted" off of his '' Welcome to the Neighborhood'' album. In 2004, he contributed the song "Baby Please Don't Go" to

's self-titled album.

Solo artist

During the summer of 1981, EMI-America approached Van Zandt with a record deal due to his success with the E Street Band, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and Gary U.S. Bonds. He began fronting an on-and-off group known as Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, while Springsteen was working on ''

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the sout ...

''. The band included

Dino Danelli Dino Danelli (July 23, 1944 – December 15, 2022) was an American drummer. Danelli was best known as an original member and the drummer in the rock group The Young Rascals. He has been called "one of the great unappreciated rock drummers in his ...

on drums,

Jean Beauvoir Jean Beauvoir is an American singer, bassist, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer and entertainment executive. He came to prominence in the early 1980s with the punk group the Plasmatics and went on to work with Little Steven ...

on bass, and the Miami Horns. They made their live debut at the Peppermint Lounge on July 18, 1982. In October 1982, Van Zandt's debut album, '' Men Without Women'', was released. This album earned the most critical praise and Jay Cocks of ''TIME'' magazine dubbed it one of the ten best albums of the year. Van Zandt released four more solo albums, and has written that these albums are each elements in a five-part political concept cycle: the individual, the family, the state, the economy, and religion. These albums range from

soul music Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in the African American community throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues. Soul music became ...

to hard rock to world music. Van Zandt's second album, ''

Voice of America Voice of America (VOA or VoA) is the state-owned news network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America. It is the largest and oldest U.S.-funded international broadcaster. VOA produces digital, TV, and radio content ...

'', did the best on the U.S. albums chart, although none of his albums were much of a commercial success. After touring with the E Street Band during The River Tour in 1980–81, he started to realize and understand the perceptions of Americans made by people in other countries. He started to become interested in politics and, with ''Voice of America'', his music became explicitly political. One of the album's leading singles, "Solidarity", is a general statement of international common ground. In April 1984, shortly before the release of ''Born in the U.S.A.'' and ''Voice of America'', Van Zandt left the E Street Band, but rejoined in 1999.Ruhlmann, William and John Floyd.
Little Steven & the Disciples of Soul Biography
". '' Billboard''., 2017. Web. 1 April 2017. Continuing his involvement in issues of the day, in 1985 he created the music-industry activist group

as an action against the Sun City resort in South Africa. Forty-nine recording artists, including Springsteen, U2,

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...

Pete Townshend Peter Dennis Blandford Townshend (; born 19 May 1945) is an English musician. He is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s. Townsh ...

Joey Ramone Jeffrey Ross Hyman (May 19, 1951 – April 15, 2001), known professionally as Joey Ramone, was an American musician, best known as the lead singer and a founding member of the punk rock band Ramones. His image, voice, and his tenure with the R ...

Tom Petty Thomas Earl Petty (October 20, 1950October 2, 2017) was an American musician who was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, formed in 1976. He previously led the band Mudcrutch, was a member of the la ...

, Afrika Bambaataa and

Run DMC Run-DMC (also spelled Run-D.M.C.) was an American hip hop group from Hollis, Queens, New York City, founded in 1983 by Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels, and Jason Mizell. Run-DMC is regarded as one of the most influential acts in the history ...

, collaborated on a song called " Sun City" in which they pledged to never perform at the resort. The song was modestly successful, and played a part in the broad international effort to overthrow apartheid. Van Zandt also produced the award-winning documentary ''The Making of Sun City'' and oversaw the production of the book, ''Sun City by Artists United Against Apartheid, the Struggle for Freedom in South Africa: The Making of the Record'', as well as the teaching guide. In 1987, he released the album '' Freedom - No Compromise'', which continued the political messaging. Some U.S. appearances in that year as opening act for U2's arena-and-stadium

Joshua Tree Tour The Joshua Tree Tour was a concert tour by the Irish rock band U2, which took place during 1987, in support of their album ''The Joshua Tree''. The tour was depicted by the video and live album '' Live from Paris'' and in the 1988 studio/live ...

continued in the same vein, but were not well received by some audiences. Both the record and his concerts were popular in Europe. He also performed at the " Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute" concert at

Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 2002 to 2003. The stadium ...

in 1988. His fourth album, 1989's ''

Revolution In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...

'', attracted little attention. Later in 1989, Van Zandt recorded another album, ''Nobody Loves and Leaves Alive'' with his garage band The Lost Boys. Although the album remains unreleased, several tracks from it were heard on the ''Sopranos'' and ''Lilyhammer'' television shows: including "Nobody Loves and Leaves Alive", "Affection", and "Come for Me". "Affection" appeared on '' The Sopranos: Peppers & Eggs (Music From the HBO Original Series)''. Due to a loss of recording contract, his next album, '' Born Again Savage'', which was recorded in 1994, was not released until 1999. In 1995, Van Zandt wrote, produced, and sang "The Time of Your Life" for the soundtrack to the film ''

Nine Months ''Nine Months'' is a 1995 American romantic comedy film produced, written and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore, Tom Arnold, Joan Cusack, Jeff Goldblum, and Robin Williams. It is a remake of the French film ' ...

''. He also toured with Bon Jovi during the first European leg of their These Days Tour.Career Timeline 1990s
. ''Little Steven Online''.

. Archived on December 2, 2000. Web. 1 April 2017. Van Zandt's song "Under The Gun" was covered by Carla Olson & The Textones on their ''Detroit '85 Live & Unreleased'' album which was released in 2008. Another of his songs, "All I Needed Was You", appeared on the 2013 Carla Olson album ''Have Harmony, Will Travel''. On April 29, 2013, Van Zandt performed a cover of Frank Sinatra's " My Kind of Town" at a Springsteen concert in

Oslo, Norway Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of i ...

, during the

Wrecking Ball Tour The Wrecking Ball World Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to promote Springsteen's seventeenth studio album, ''Wrecking Ball'', which was released on March 5, 2012. It was the first tour for the E Street Band with ...

. Although the song was featured in the ''Lilyhammer'' season one episode "My Kind of Town," it was not released as a single until September 23, 2014, when it was "the Coolest Song in the World" on ''Underground Garage'' to help promote the show. It was released under the title "Frank Tagliano Sings! My Kind of Town" and the lyrics were changed to be about Lillehammer, Norway, instead of Chicago. Van Zandt performed the song on ''

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...

'' on December 9, 2014, to help promote the series. Van Zandt performed all the music for ''Lilyhammer'' from season 2 on and released ''Lilyhammer: The Score'' on December 16, 2014. Van Zandt reformed his band, the Disciples of Soul, for the first time since 1990 to play their only European show of 2016 at the O2 Indigo Lounge in London for BluesFest on October 29, 2016. The new Disciples included Richie Sambora and Marc Ribler on guitar,

Eddie Manion Ed Manion (born February 28, 1952), also known as Eddie "Kingfish" Manion, is an American saxophonist, who plays both tenor and baritone sax. As a solo artist, he released his own instrumental album titled Nightlife in 2015. Manion is currently a ...

on saxophone, Hook Herrara on harmonica, Leo Green on tenor sax, Richard Mecurio on drums, Jack Daley on bass, Andy Burton on B3 organ,

Clifford Carter Clifford Carter (born August 10, 1952) is an American keyboardist, musical director, composer and arranger. He has sometimes been credited as "Cliff Carter". Carter is known for his performances with such artists as James Taylor,Bruce Springstee ...

on piano, Danny Sadownick on percussion, Tommy Walsh and Matt Holland on trumpet, Neil Sidwell on trombone, George Millard on flute, and a women's section called the Divas of Soul (Julie Maguire, Sarah Carpenter and Jess Greenfield) on backing vocals. They played a series of Van Zandt's own solo songs, songs he wrote for Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, a song he co-wrote for

the Breakers The Breakers is a Gilded Age mansion located at 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island, US. It was built between 1893 and 1895 as a summer residence for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family. The 70-room man ...

, cover songs, and "Goodbye", a song that he performed with the Lost Boys. His plans included a European tour during the summer of 2017 and a tour of the United States in the fall. Van Zandt insists that he is not leaving the E Street Band and he is only touring because the band is not on the road. Van Zandt announced in November 2016 that he was in the process of remastering and reissuing his albums for a 2017 release, including the unreleased Lost Boys album. Additionally, Van Zandt has stated that he was planning on releasing a new cover album, including a cover of Etta James' " The Blues Is My Business", as well as new recordings of songs Van Zandt wrote for others, including Southside Johnny, that he describes as "me covering me." The album is a soul record, composed of a 15 piece band including 5 horns and 3 singers. Van Zandt revealed that Richie Mercurio plays drums on the album. On February 9, 2017, Van Zandt released "Saint Valentine's Day," a cover of the song, "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre," that he originally wrote for the

Cocktail Slippers Cocktail Slippers is a five-piece, all-female rock band from Oslo, Norway. Current band members are: Hope (vocals), Rocket Queen (guitar), Vega (guitar), Miss A-OK (drums) and Sugar(bass ). Cocktail Slippers was formed in 2001 and has since relea ...

, as a single. The song was repeatedly played on the ''Underground Garage'' radio show. He debuted his new album at the annual Rock and Roll for Children event at the Fillmore Theater in

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially unincorporated, in practice it is an edge city, with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ce ...

, on March 18, 2017. Van Zandt debuted a doo-wop song called "The City Weeps Tonight," that was an outtake from ''Men Without Women''. At the end of the show, he covered " Bye Bye Johnny" as a tribute to the late

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

. According to '' Backstreets'', Van Zandt's new album was going to be called ''Soulfire'', titled after the song he co-wrote for the Breakers. The album was officially released on May 19, 2017. Van Zandt released his first official live album, '' Soulfire Live!'', recorded with the Disciples of Soul during their 2017 tour of the same name, on April 27, 2018 via iTunes. A 7 LP vinyl box set, CD, and two-disc Blu-ray video were released on February 15, 2019 via Wicked Cool Records/UMe. Consisting of the best performances from their North American and European concerts, the collection feature Little Steven and his 15-strong band taking you on a musical history lesson as they blast through an arsenal of songs spanning rock, pop, soul, blues, funk, doo-wop, reggae and everything in between. Of note, is a performance of "

I Saw Her Standing There "I Saw Her Standing There" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It is the opening track on the band's 1963 debut UK album '' Please Please Me'' and their debut US album '' Introducing... The ...

" recorded at The Roundhouse in London with a special appearance by

. Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul recorded a cover of Elvis Presley's "

Santa Claus Is Back in Town "Santa Claus Is Back in Town" is a Christmas song written in 1957 by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, and first recorded that year by Elvis Presley as the opening track on ''Elvis' Christmas Album'', the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of al ...

", featuring actor Kurt Russell on lead vocals, for the 2018 film ''

The Christmas Chronicles ''The Christmas Chronicles'' is a 2018 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman. The film stars Kurt Russell, Judah Lewis, Darby Camp, Lamorne Morris, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, and Oliver Hudson ...

''. On March 8, 2019 Van Zandt announced the May 3, 2019 CD, digital and vinyl release of '' Summer of Sorcery'' via Wicked Cool/UME. It was written, arranged, and produced by him at his Renegade Studios in New York City and marks his first new album of original material in 20 years. A tour for the album began in May 2019, but was cancelled in September 2019 due to illness. Van Zandt finally reissued his albums in the 7 LP and 4-CD box set, '' Rock N Roll Rebel: The Early Work'', released on December 6, 2019. Limited to 1,000 copies, it includes the first United States pressing of 1989's ''Revolution'', as well as the first vinyl release of ''Born Again Savage'', originally released in 1999. The box set also includes rare outtakes and live performances. The Lost Boys album, however, remains unreleased. Van Zandt stated that the album contains his favorite songs that he recorded and wants to wait until the album can be "properly promoted."

Actor

Until 1999, Van Zandt had no professional acting experience. His main focus had been music, whether it was the multiple bands he participated in, groups he composed pieces for, or music he wrote on his own. Then, he was asked to play a part in ''

,'' and from there on, acting became part of Van Zandt's career.

''The Sopranos''

In 1999, Van Zandt took one of the lead roles in ''

'', playing level-headed but deadly mob ''

consigliere Consigliere ( , ; plural ) is a position within the leadership structure of the Sicilian, Calabrian, and Italian-American Mafia. The word was popularized in English by the novel '' The Godfather'' (1969) and its film adaptation. In the novel, a ...

'' and strip club owner

. The casting choice was made by series creator

David Chase David Henry Chase (born August 22, 1945) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and produced the HBO drama ''The Sopranos'' which aired for six seasons between 1999 and 2007. Chase has also produced and written for such shows as ''The Rockford File ...

, who invited Van Zandt to audition after seeing him induct

The Rascals ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

at the 1997 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and being impressed with his humorous appearance and presence. Though Van Zandt had never acted before, he auditioned for the role of

Tony Soprano Anthony John Soprano is a fictional character and the antihero protagonist in the HBO television drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), portrayed by James Gandolfini. Soprano is a member of the Italian-American Mafia and, especially late ...

. HBO felt that the role should go to an experienced actor, however, so Chase wrote a part especially for Van Zandt. Van Zandt eventually agreed to star on the show as Silvio Dante, and his real-life spouse Maureen (née Santoro) was cast as his on-screen wife Gabriella.

''Tussles in Brussels''

Van Zandt recorded the narration for

The Hives The Hives are a Swedish rock band that rose to prominence in the early 2000s during the garage rock revival. Their mainstream success came with the release of the album '' Veni Vidi Vicious'', containing the single "Hate to Say I Told You So". ...

biography on their concert DVD '' Tussles in Brussels'' (2004).

''Hotel Cæsar''

In 2010, Van Zandt appeared as himself in the Norwegian soap opera '' Hotel Cæsar'', broadcast on Norway's biggest commercial channel TV2 Norway. He also appeared on Scandinavia's largest talkshow '' Skavlan''.

''Lilyhammer''

In 2011, he starred in, co-wrote, and was the executive producer for an English and Norwegian language series entitled ''

'', the first original

Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...

series that was produced in collaboration with Norwegian broadcaster

NRK NRK, an abbreviation of the Norwegian ''Norsk Rikskringkasting AS'', generally expressed in English as the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, is the Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company, and the largest ...

. The name recalls the city of Lillehammer, which hosted the 1994 Winter Olympics. On the show, Van Zandt portrays a ''Sopranos''-like role of an ex-mafioso who enters the

witness protection program Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after a trial, usually by police. While a witness may only require p ...

and flees to Norway to escape a colleague against whom he testified. The show premiered on NRK television on January 25, 2012 with an audience of 998,000 viewers (one fifth of Norway's population),Norway International Network 26 January 2012: ‘Lilyhammer’ sets new NRK record
Retrieved 2012-07-15Hollywood Reporter 27 January 2012: "Steven Van Zandt's‘Lilyhammer’ Breaks Ratings Records in Norway"
Retrieved 2012-07-15 and ran for three seasons before being cancelled in 2015.

''The Irishman''

Van Zandt appears in the

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, inclu ...

-produced gangster epic ''

The Irishman ''The Irishman'' (subtitled onscreen as ''I Heard You Paint Houses'') is a 2019 American epic gangster film directed and produced by Martin Scorsese and written by Steven Zaillian, based on the 2004 nonfiction book ''I Heard You Paint Hou ...

'' as singer

Jerry Vale Jerry Vale (born Gennaro Louis Vitaliano; July 8, 1930 – May 18, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter and actor. During the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the top of the pop charts with his interpretations of romantic ballads, including a cover ...

, lip-syncing Vale's ''Al Di La.''

Radio host and entrepreneur

;Radio host Since 2002, Van Zandt has hosted ''

Little Steven's Underground Garage ''Underground Garage'' is the name shared by two related but different radio outlets, a syndicated show and a satellite radio station, both created and supervised by American musician Steven Van Zandt (best known as a guitarist in Bruce Springst ...

'', a weekly syndicated radio show that celebrates garage rock and similar rock subgenres from the 1950s to the present day. As of December 2006, the show is heard on over 200 US radio stations and in some international markets. For example, in Spain it has beamed through Rock & Gol since 2007 and later on Rock FM Radio in Finland; Radio Helsinki started beaming ''Little Steven's Underground Garage'' in August 2008. On October 20, 2011, the program recorded its 500th show in front of a sold-out crowd at the

Hard Rock Cafe Hard Rock Cafe, Inc. is a British-based multinational chain of theme restaurants, memorabilia shops, casinos and museums founded in 1971 by Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton in London. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and r ...

in New York's

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent ...

. The guests included the band Green Day; Steve Buscemi, star of ''The Sopranos'' and '' Boardwalk Empire'';

Vincent Pastore Vincent Pastore (; born July 14, 1946) is an American actor. Often cast as a mafioso, he is best known for his portrayal of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on the HBO series ''The Sopranos''. Early life Pastore was born to an Italian-Ameri ...

, aka "

Big Pussy Bonpensiero This is a list of fictional characters from the HBO series ''The Sopranos'', its video game '' The Sopranos: Road to Respect'' and its prequel film '' The Many Saints of Newark.'' Main characters Cast table Main character biographies Tony Sopra ...

" from ''The Sopranos''; actor and director

Tim Robbins Timothy Francis Robbins (born October 16, 1958) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is known for portraying Andy Dufresne in the film '' The Shawshank Redemption ''(1994), and has won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards for his rol ...

; and singer Debbie Harry of the group Blondie. ;Program director Van Zandt is also the program director for two radio channels for the

Sirius Satellite Radio Sirius Satellite Radio was a satellite radio (SDARS) and online radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Holdings. Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially lau ...

network. The channels continuously broadcast on satellite radio in the US, and worldwide on Sirius Internet Radio. One channel, named ''Underground Garage'', has the same philosophy and musical mandate as his own radio show. On-air hosts on the channel include original Rolling Stones manager/producer

Andrew Loog Oldham Andrew Loog Oldham (born 29 January 1944) is an English record producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1967, and was noted for his flamboyant style. Early life Loog Oldha ...

, singer/guitarist

Joan Jett Joan Jett (born Joan Marie Larkin, September 22, 1958) is an American singer, guitarist, record producer, and actress. Jett is best known for her work as the frontwoman of her band Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, and for earlier founding and per ...

, former record executive Kid Leo, punk rock singer

Handsome Dick Manitoba Richard "Handsome Dick" Manitoba (born Richard Blum; January 29, 1954) is an American punk rock singer and radio personality, best known as the original lead singer of New York City-based band The Dictators and the reunion singer of MC5. Bac ...

and rock entrepreneur Kim Fowley. The second channel, named the ''Outlaw Country'', presents the edgier side of country music, both roots and contemporary. On-air hosts for this channel include pop-culture satirist Mojo Nixon.

Record label

In December 2004, Van Zandt launched his own record label,

Wicked Cool Records Renegade Nation is a music and entertainment company founded by Steven Van Zandt in 1999. The company focuses on artist management, production, live events, and distribution. It is also the parent company of Van Zandt's independent record label ...

. The first album released by Wicked Cool was ''Fuzz for the Holidays'' by Davie Allan and the Arrows, released on December 14, 2004. The first set of records released by Wicked Cool also included new albums from Underground Garage favorites

the Charms The Charms are an American garage rock band from Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, who were formed in 2002. Following 8 straight years of releasing records and touring the band went on a hiatus and returned for a few one off shows befor ...

, the Chesterfield Kings and the

; and ''

CBGB Forever ''CBGB Forever'' is a compilation album produced by Josh Abraham. It is named after the theater in New York, New York. It consists mainly of rare songs, hits, and covers. Artists include Green Day, Blondie, Foo Fighters, Ramones, U2, Talki ...

'', a tribute to the famous, now-defunct venue. The label continues to release new albums from the next generation of garage rockers including the Cocktail Slippers as well as volumes of ''Little Steven's Underground Garage presents The Coolest Songs in the World,'' a compilation of selected songs from the ''Underground Garage'' radio show's popular feature, the "Coolest Song in the World This Week". In 2007, the label signed The Launderettes. The label's first Halloween and Christmas themed compilations were released in 2008. Lost Cathedral is a subsidiary label of Wicked Cool Records and home to the band Crown of Thorns.

Rock and Roll Forever Foundation

Steven Van Zandt - Alan Freed memorial dedication - Lake View Cemetery - 2016-05-07

In 2007, Van Zandt launched the non-profit Rock and Roll Forever Foundation and its TeachRock project, which creates K-12 national curriculum. TeachRock includes interdisciplinary, arts-driven materials designed to keep students engaged and in school. The initiative features lesson plans covering topics in social studies, general music, language arts, media studies, and more while aligning with national and state education standards. The material is available at no cost to educators.

Musical director

In September 2006, Van Zandt assembled and directed an all-star band to back

Hank Williams Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style is often considered a blend of southern rock, blues, and country. He is the son of ...

on a new version of " All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight" for the season premiere (and formal

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). Th ...

debut) of ''

Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, A ...

''. The all-star lineup included Little Richard,

Rick Nielsen Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and leader of the rock band Cheap Trick. He is well-known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, inclu ...

(

Cheap Trick Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen ...

), Joe Perry ( Aerosmith), Questlove ( The Roots),

Charlie Daniels Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, pioneering Southern rock. He was best known for his number-one country hit "The De ...

, Bootsy Collins, Chris Burney (

Bowling for Soup Bowling for Soup (abbreviated as BFS) is an American rock band formed in Wichita Falls, Texas, in 1994. The band consists of Jaret Reddick (lead vocals, guitar), Chris Burney (guitar, backing vocals), Gary Wiseman (drums, percussion, backing vo ...

), and

Bernie Worrell George Bernard Worrell, Jr. (April 19, 1944 – June 24, 2016) was an American keyboardist and record producer best known as a founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic and for his work with Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock and Rol ...

. Since 2007, Van Zandt has been the director of a music selection committee for the video game '' Rock Band''; he is in charge of selecting new music for the game.

Activist career

After leaving the E Street Band in 1984, Van Zandt used his celebrity as a musician to fight issues surrounding

apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...

in South Africa by creating a group called the

. This activist group was created in 1985 by Van Zandt and record producer Arthur Baker. Van Zandt and Baker assembled over 54 different artists to record an album entitled '' Sun City'' in order to raise awareness about the apartheid policy in South Africa. The title referred to a resort in South Africa that catered to wealthy white tourists. The resort upheld racist apartheid policies, yet many famous entertainers chose to perform there. Artists that took part in the making of the album included Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel,

Miles Davis Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...

and Lou Reed. The ''Sun City'' project was originally meant to only be one song, but other musicians contributed their own pieces which transformed it into a full-length album. ''Sun City'' was one of the first musical collaborations among major recording stars to support a political cause rather than a social cause. The album raised over $1 million in support of anti-apartheid efforts. The primary goal of the album and foundation was to draw attention to South Africa's racist policy of apartheid and to support a cultural boycott of the country. Van Zandt was a part of the 1989 charity single, "Spirit of the Forest", dedicated to saving rain forests. Later in his career, Van Zandt worked to raise awareness about the US military interference in governments of Central America and other issues.

Author

Van Zandt's memoir '' Unrequited Infatuations'' was published September 28, 2021 by

Hachette Books Hachette Books, formerly Hyperion Books, is a general-interest book imprint of the Perseus Books Group, which is a division of Hachette Book Group and ultimately a part of Lagardère Group. Established in 1990, Hachette publishes general-inte ...

Tours with Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band

Born to Run tours The Born to Run tours were the unofficially-named concert tours surrounding the release of Bruce Springsteen's 1975 album ''Born to Run'' which occurred between 1974 and 1977. The album represented Springsteen's commercial breakthrough, and was ...

, 1975–1977 *

Darkness Tour Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's Darkness Tour was a concert tour of North America that ran from May 1978 through the rest of the year, in conjunction with the release of Springsteen's album ''Darkness on the Edge of Town''. (Like mos ...

, 1978–1979 * The River Tour, 1980–1981 * Reunion Tour, 1999–2000 * The Rising Tour, 2002–2003 * Vote for Change Tour, 2004 * Magic Tour, 2007–2008 * Working on a Dream Tour, 2009 *

, 2012–2013 * High Hopes Tour, 2014 * River Tour 2016/Oceania '17, 2016–2017

Personal life

Van Zandt married actress Maureen Santoro in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

on December 31, 1982. Later she portrayed his wife on ''

''. Bruce Springsteen was the best man at their wedding, Little Richard presided over it, and it featured

Percy Sledge Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song " When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 196 ...

singing " When a Man Loves a Woman".

Philanthropy

Van Zandt is an honorary board member of Little Kids Rock. He was awarded the fourth annual "Big Man of the Year" award at the organization's 2013 Right to Rock Benefit Event. He and his wife Maureen also serve on the Count Basie Theatre's Board of Directors, and were named as that organization's honorary capital campaign chairs in 2015. Van Zandt hosts the annual "Policeman's Ball," donating the funds raised to the Detectives Endowment Association Widows and Children's Fund and NYPD With Arms Wide Open, a foundation that supports NYPD officers with children who have special needs.

Discography

* '' Men Without Women'' (1982) * ''

'' (1984) * ''

Freedom – No Compromise ''Freedom – No Compromise'' is the third solo studio album by Little Steven, released in May 1987 by EMI. Following on the moderate success of Artists United Against Apartheid's " Sun City" in 1985, Steven Van Zandt's next record was a full-o ...

'' (1987) * ''

'' (1989) * ''Nobody Loves and Leaves Alive'' (1989 - unreleased) * '' Born Again Savage'' (1999) * '' Soulfire'' (2017) * '' Summer of Sorcery'' (2019)

Filmography

* ''

'' as

(1999–2007) * ''

'' as Frank Tagliano (2012–2014) * ''

'' as Wolfie (2018) * ''

'' as

(2019)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Van Zandt, Steven 1950 births American radio DJs American rock guitarists American male singers American rock singers American mandolinists Lead guitarists Middletown High School North alumni Singer-songwriters from New Jersey Rhythm guitarists American male guitarists E Street Band members Living people Male actors from New Jersey Guitarists from New Jersey Guitarists from Massachusetts Record producers from New Jersey Record producers from Massachusetts American people of Italian descent People of Calabrian descent People of Campanian descent People from Winthrop, Massachusetts People from Middletown Township, New Jersey Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes members Jersey Shore musicians American male television actors 20th-century American guitarists Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul members Singer-songwriters from Massachusetts Steel Mill members Anti-apartheid activists