Online Women's History Month events recognizing & celebrating female musicians & fans on E Street

photo by Danny Clinch - used with permission

March 10, 2026

Happy Women's History Month! Tomorrow our friends Lorraine Mangione and Donna Luff, co-authors of the book Mary Climbs In: The Journeys of Bruce Springsteen's Women Fans, will present an online authors' talk about their research, focusing on the perspectives of Springsteen’s women fans from New Jersey, as well as perceptions of New Jersey and its place in Springsteen’s music among female fans from other states and countries. This event is being hosted by the New Jersey State Library, an affiliate of Thomas Edison State University. Click here for more information and to register to attend this free online/virtual event.

And tonight The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music will present another free online talk by the Center's curator Melissa Ziobro, entitled "Women of the E Street Band" (click here to register/attend) and described as follows:

Melissa Ziobro, Curator of the Springsteen Center for American Music discusses the lesser-known, but essential members of the E. St. Band.

The “core” members of Bruce Springsteen’s famed E Street Band over time are generally listed as Garry Tallent, Roy Bittan, Max Weinberg, Steven Van Zandt, Nils Lofgren, Clarence Clemons, Danny Federici, David Sancious, Vini Lopez, and Ernest “Boom” Carter. The band would not be what it is today, however, if not for a number of strong and talented, but too often overlooked, women. This multi-media talk will explore the likes of Adele Springsteen, Marion Vinyard, Barbara Dinkins, Dee Holmes, Suki Lahav, Patti Scialfa, Soozie Tyrell and others who have supported and shaped the E Street Band from its pre-history to the present.

With all due respect, of course, we at Letters To You feel it necessary to point out that for more than four decades now - pretty much just as long a period of time as that of bandmate Nils Lofgren, who also joined the band in 1984 - Ms. Patti Scialfa has been recognized far and wide as a full-fledged member of the E Street Band. In 2014, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the band, along with its nine other officially recognized members. (Incidentally, Ernest "Boom" Carter, described above by the Center as a "generally listed," "core" member of the band, was not inducted as such.)

While one certainly can mount a strong argument that Patti Scialfa's importance and talent go underappreciated in some circles, in its own announcement the Springsteen Center itself has "overlooked" Patti's status as an official E Street Band member. It's more than a bit disconcerting to see the Center treat an E Street Band member so disrespectfully, whether consciously or not, which is why we felt it necessary to directly address it here.

Speaking of respect, out of all of the musicians identified on Bruce Springsteen's official website as "E Street Auxiliary," we think "Sister Soozie" Tyrell is hands-down the most deserving of a "promotion" already. As her page on the site states, "Tyrell’s first appearance on a Springsteen album came with Lucky Town, where she contributed backing vocals, and since then she’s appeared on every one of Springsteen’s eleven studio albums—including the non-E Street records." She's also been part of every one of Bruce's tours with the E Street Band since 2002, almost a quarter-century! Next month, when the Springsteen Center issues its American Music Honors to the E Street Band, it sure would be nice if Soozie were to finally get recognized as a full-fledged band-member, no longer listed continually as "E Street Auxiliary." Just sayin', FWIW.