In many cases throughout rock and roll history, the departure or death of a group's supporting band member has gone relatively unnoticed musically, even if on a personal level a huge impact is readily acknowledged. That, however, is supremely not the case when it comes to the April 17 passing of long-time Bruce Springsteen cohort and E Street Band keyboard player Danny Federici. This latest loss to the music world will almost definitely not suspend future performances of one of rock's most musically accomplished and tight-knit ensembles, but Springsteen's sound will forever be deprived by the absence of Federici's singular organ work, made so deservedly famous in songs such as "Hungry Heart," "Racing in the Street," and "You're Missing." Having succumbed to melanoma at the age of 58, Federici has certainly had his life and career prematurely ended (hell, Springsteen might still be putting on marathon live shows into his eighties, which would allow for a couple more decades of work for the E Street Band), but at least more than three decades of his work live on in the many major recordings on which he's appeared. Not that there's a shortage of reason to do so in general, but this somber occasion transforms a fresh listen to any of Springsteen's brilliant '80s releases (The River, Born in the USA and Tunnel of Love) to a brand new level of poignancy and melancholy beauty.

• Bruce Springsteen Profile
• Bruce Springsteen's Official Website
• Top 10 Bruce Springsteen Songs of the '80s, Part 1
• Top 10 Bruce Springsteen Songs of the '80s, Part 2

Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Music Master