The keyboard player in Bruce's band known to be an accordion player of long standing. I can't think of his name, but I read an interview with him that was done in the mid to late 1980's. He was one of the thousands of people who learned accordion at a young age, before it became associated with all that was un-cool and un-hip. He switched to keyboards, but he said that he always kept up with the accordion and would bring it to parties "in case someone would ask me to play". I believe that there were Springsteen recordings early on that had accordion, but perhaps not in a very prominant role.

That was at the time where there was a huge resurgence of interest in the accordion in rock music. Suddenly rock musicians realised that the accordion could be hip and cool after all, and it became a mainstream instrument again, rather than an embarassment.

I know that many people like Lawrence Welk, but the fact is that he single handedly set the accordion back for decades! Very undeservedly, but true nevertheless.

There's a band here in NYC called the Gotham Playboys, who I've never actually seen but have heard some of the individual members play. My understanding is that they play a mix of Cajun, zydeco, and R&B, though they've been inactive for the last couple of years. Anyway, rumor has it they've played at least one private party at Springsteen's home in New Jersey.

What a musical gumbo - I like it. Reminds me of a video my kids have, legend of John Henry. I've also heard of Bruce affiliated with piano accordion, but this sounds different and pretty darn good. Love to see some fiddle action in the mainsream world too. Check out the link, see what ya think, I stumbled across it recently and think its pretty good.