Steven Van Zandt
Steven Van Zandt is a Musician, Performer, Songwriter, Arranger, Music Producer, Music Supervisor, TV Producer, Actor, Director, Broadway Producer, TV and Film Composer, Live Event Producer, International DJ, Activist, Historian, Teacher, member of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and is recognized internationally as one of the world’s foremost authorities on both Contemporary and Traditional Rock and Roll.
After helping create the “Jersey Shore” sound with the Asbury Jukes he became a founding member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, and went on to become a successful solo artist in his own right recording and performing with his band Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul.
Steven co-produced the seminal Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band albums “The River”, and “Born in the U.S.A.” He has also produced albums for Darlene Love, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ronnie Spector, Demolition 23, Arc Angels, Majek Fashek, and many more.
In 1985, Van Zandt formed Artists United Against Apartheid and wrote “Sun City,” a song featuring over 50 major recording artists protesting the Apartheid system and considered by many political experts to be one of the fatal blows to Apartheid, leading to Nelson Mandela being freed only a few years later. He has twice been honored by the United Nations for his political activism.
Steven co-starred in all seven seasons of the Sopranos, playing principle character "Silvio Dante,” a character that he created. He Starred in, Co-Wrote, Executive Produced, provided the music supervision and scoring, and Directed (the final episode) for the award winning series "Lilyhammer,” which was the first original programming for Netflix.
In 2001 he launched “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” his internationally syndicated radio show and the most successful syndicated Rock music radio show in the past 50 years. Steven also created and produces the first two channels of original content on SiriusXM Satellite Radio, the Underground Garage (Channel 21) and Outlaw Country (Channel 60). In 2006 he launched his record label, Wicked Cool Records, to further support new Rock and Roll.
Van Zandt is chairman of the Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, a non-profit that has developed a curriculum based around popular music, a subject that provides immediate common ground with student interest and passion, called “Teach Rock.” This online educational resource is offered at NO COST to educators and individuals everywhere. Interdisciplinary in nature, it is geared toward middle and high school students but includes resources for learning at all levels.
His memoir, Unrequited Infatuations, is available now from Hachette Books.
Unrequited Infatuations: A Memoir
