In the colossal, radio-ready but road-worn rock and roll machine of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, it’s hard to separate one single great part from the sum of the whole. There was a guy they called “the Phantom” who was anything but a ghost. Springsteen would introduce him as “Mr. Now You See Him, Now You Don’t” because at times he would seemingly be hiding in the shadows but when the notes from his organ started swirling through the air, his presence was beyond entrancing. You couldn’t miss what he was doing.

When I put on 1975’s landmark Born To Run - beyond the Boss’ alleyway poetry and boardwalk-commanding vox - what I always hear that pulls me in is coming from Danny Federici. His glockenspiel punctuates the redemptive escape on “Thunder Road” and his glock and organ-combined attack is the high-octane thing fueling “Born To Run” past the finish line. He gave The River’s “Hungry Heart” its bounce and there’s his unforgettable, somber accordion part at the core of “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” from The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle.

There are simply too many great Danny Federici moments to go on about. Any Springsteen fan worth his or her salt will have a unique list.

In November of last year, Federici was forced to exit Springsteen and E Street’s Magic Tour to pursue treatment for melanoma. He sadly lost the battle, passing away yesterday at the age of 58. His sound - however - will stick around forever and woosh through the ears fo generations to come with the kind of power and beauty one might get listening to the Atlantic Ocean crashing along the Jersey shoreline.

Bruce Springsteen & Danny Federici on YOU TUBE:Bruce & Danny