Nils Lofgren
b. 21 June 1951, Chicago, Illinois, USA. In the late '60s, Lofgren first recorded as Paul Dowell And The Dolphin before forming Grin. The latter made several excellent albums during the early '70s and although a critics' favourite they never quite managed to receive the recognition they deserved. Lofgren, meanwhile, was already branching out into other ventures after making a guest appearance on Neil Young's AFTER THE GOLDRUSH. He briefly teamed-up with Young's backing group Crazy Horse for their critically-acclaimed debut album. Lofgren's association with Young continued in 1973 when he was invited to join the TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT tour. By now, Lofgren was a highly-respected guitarist and it was widely speculated that he might be joining the Rolling Stones as Mick Taylor's replacement. Instead, he signed to A&M Records as a solo artist and recorded a self-titled album, which included the tribute Keith Don't Go (Ode To The Glimmer Twin). The album was applauded on its release, as were Lofgren's solo tours during which he would astound audiences with his acrobatic skills, often propelling himself in the air from a trampoline. An ‘official bootleg’ from the tour BACK IT UP captured some of the excitement. Lofgren's CRY TOUGH, displayed his power as a writer, arranger and musician. It was a best seller on both sides of the Atlantic and momentarily placed Lofgren on a level with the other acclaimed new guitar-playing artists such as Bruce Springsteen. With I CAME TO DANCE and NILS, the singer/guitarist consolidated his position without breaking any new ground. The latter included some lyrics from Lou Reed which added some bite to the proceedings. By the end of the '70s, Lofgren left A&M and found himself recording for the MCA subsidiary, Backstreet. By the early '80s, his reputation as a solo artist had declined and it was generally accepted that his real genius lay as a ‘right-hand man’ to other artists. In early 1983 he embarked on Neil Young's Trans tour and the following year joined Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. By this point, his solo standing was such that he was recording for an independent label, Towerbell. During the late '80s, he continued to work with Springsteen, but also undertook occasional low-key solo tours. In 1991, he ended a six-year hiatus from recording with SILVER LINING, which included guest appearances from Springsteen and various members of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band.