Facts About Steven Van Zandt

More Than A Musician

Aside from being the guitar and mandolin player of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and also his longtime friend, Steven Van Zandt is far from your average musician. He keeps himself busy with several other side projects and endeavors. Here are seven facts you may not know about him.

7. He started wearing bandannas for a reason.

It may be his signature style but it’s not just for fashion. He was involved in a vehicular accident as a teen and because he smashed his head through the windshield, he ended up with several scars on his head. He then began wearing hats to cover it up until he settled for bandannas.

6. He’s a radio host.

He created the syndicated radio show Underground Garage in 2002 and he continues to host it today. It celebrated its 500th show on October 2011 at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York’s Times Square. Some guests include Debbie Harry and Green Day.

5. He’s a songwriter.

He wrote the signature song of Jersey Shore musical group Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. He also penned several other hits for other musicians.

4. He’s a producer.

Steven Van Zandt helped produce albums for Gary Bonds, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Arc Angels, Majek Fashek, Demolition 23, and Bruce Springsteen (The River, Hungry Heart, and Born in the U.S.A.).

3. He’s a philanthropist.

He established the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation in 2007 with the national K-12 curriculum initiative TeachRock. They provide arts-driven material to students – lesson plans, archival, and multimedia support materials.

2. His wedding was presided by Little Richard.

When he married actress Maureen Santoro on December 31, 1982 in New York City, Little Richard officiated the ceremony and Bruce Springsteen was his best man. Percy Sledge also sang “When a Man Loves a Woman”.

1. He’s an actor.

Before he was asked to play the character of a strip club owner in the crime TV series The Sopranos, Steven Van Zandt had no prior acting experience. He also appeared in several other international shows like the Norwegian soap opera Hotel Cæsar, and the Scandinavian talk show Skavlan. In 2011, he starred in a Netflix series Lilyhammer and more recently, he was part of gangster epic The Irishman.