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 career, the band consisted of: guitarists Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, and Patti Scialfa, keyboardists Danny Federici and Roy Bittan, bassist Garry Tallent, drummer Max Weinberg, and saxophonist Clarence Clemons.
When not working with Springsteen, members of the band have recorded solo material and have pursued successful careers as session musicians, record producers, songwriters, actors and other roles in entertainment. The most highly visible in their separate careers are drummer Max Weinberg, who has led his own band, first on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and then on the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, from 1993 to 2010, and guitarist Steven Van Zandt, who starred as Silvio Dante in the HBO television series The Sopranos, from 1999 to 2007, and as Frank "The Fixer" Tagliano in the 2012–2014 Netflix series Lilyhammer.
The band members have also performed and recorded (both individually and as a band) with a wide range of other artists including Air Supply, Gary U.S. Bonds, David Bowie, Tracy Chapman, Ray Davies, Dire Straits, Bob Dylan, Steve Earle, John Fogerty, Aretha Franklin, Peter Gabriel, The Grateful Dead, Emmylou Harris, Ian Hunter, Lady Gaga, Darlene Love, Paul McCartney, Meat Loaf, Tom Morello, Stevie Nicks, Lou Reed, The Rolling Stones, Santana, Bob Seger, Southside Johnny, Ronnie Spector, Ringo Starr, Sting, Bonnie Tyler, Lucinda Williams, and Neil Young.
The E-Street Band made their musical guest debut along with Bruce Springsteen and made his 2nd musical guest appearance on Saturday Night Live on October 5, 2002, which is the Season 28 premiere, hosted by actor Matt Damon, where they performed with "Lonesome Day" with Soozie Tyrell, and "You're Missing".
Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band returned to Saturday Night Live for his 3rd musical guest appearance and their 2nd musical guest appearance and their first appearance in 13 years on December 19, 2015, the ninth episode and Christmas show of Season 41, hosted by longtime former cast members and Weekend Update co-anchors Tina Fey & Amy Poehler. They perform "Meet Me in the City" and "The Ties That Bind" and are later joined by Paul McCartney and the cast for "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town".
Bruce Springsteen and The E-Street Band returned to Saturday Night Live again for his 4th musical guest appearance and their 3rd musical guest stint on December 12, 2020, the eighth episode of Season 46, hosted by actor Timothée Chalamet, marking their first performance since 2017 and their first to promote Letter to You. They performed "Ghosts" and "I'll See You in My Dreams". Garry Tallent and Soozie Tyrell opted to not travel and perform due to COVID-19 restrictions. Jack Daley of the Disciples of Soul filled in for Tallent.