New music from Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen has done charity benefit work throughout his career, but this time it's personal.

On July 15 Columbia will release a new digital EP of highlights from the still-underway world tour of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Magic Tour Highlights will be released via all digital download stores and will consist of four audio tracks with four accompanying videos, all recorded live in concert during the current Magic tour.

As fans all over the world know, the E Street Band lost one of its founding members earlier this year when organ and accordion player Danny Federici succumbed to melanoma (skin cancer).

The artists, songwriters, and music publishers are donating all of their royalties, and Columbia Records is donating all of its net profits, from sales of Magic Tour Highlights to the Danny Federici Melanoma Fund. The iTunes Store is donating their first year's net profits as well.

Magic Tour Highlights Track Listing:

1. "Always A Friend" (performed with Alejandro Escovedo)
Recording Date: 04/14/2008 (Houston, Texas)

2. "The Ghost of Tom Joad" (performed with Tom Morello)
Recording Date: 04/07/2008 (Anaheim, California)

3. "Turn Turn Turn" (performed with Roger McGuinn)
Recording Date: 04/23/2008 (Orlando, Florida)

4. "4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)" (Danny Federici's final performance with the E Street Band)
Recording Date: 03/20/2008 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Visit www.brucespringsteen.net on July 15 for download information. And again, R.I.P. Danny.

R.I.P. Danny Federici

His Boss called E Street Band organ, glockenspiel and accordion player Danny Federici "one of the pillars of our sound." Late yesterday word came that Federici had died at the age of 58, after a three-year battle with melanoma. Ten years ago, Danny Federici was my first professional interview, after DV Founder Christopher Thelen was kind enough to assist me in lining it up.

The interview, which took place concurrent with the release of Federici's first solo album, 1998's Flemington, is here. Chris's review of the album is here. You can read more about Federici's colorful life and tremendous musical accomplishments here, and see video of his last live performance with the band on March 20th here. I recommend having the Kleenex handy for the latter. Judging by their expressions, I think they must all have known.

Danny Federici was a remarkable musician and a true gentleman. Our condolences to his family, friends, and bandmates.

R.I.P. Danny.