About The BOSS Project
Bruce Springsteen is one of the last living legends; known to many as the voice of the working class and pioneer of heartland rock, The Boss is more than a nickname - it’s a never-say-die battlecry, illuminating the last remnants of the American Dream. Every legend has an origin story, and Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band’s starts and ends with one resounding sentiment: “you have to see them live.” The reality of that statement became so glaringly obvious to a group of South Florida musicians that they decided to duplicate the spirit of Asbury Park below the Mason-Dixon. Born to Run ultimately birthed The Boss Project - a full-fledged, close as you can get to the real deal, tribute to Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band.
In 2013, founding members Paul Gold (“Bruce Springsteen” - lead vocalist) and Cary Stadtlander (“Max Weinberg” - drums) found themselves on a bench outside of a Dunkin’ Donuts, discussing the possibility of forming their very own “heart-stopping, hard-rocking, booty-shaking, earth-quaking” E. Street Band. From the get-go, the pair understood that paying homage to such an iconic rock n’ roll staple was no small feat, and if they were going to do it, they were going to do it right.
Naming the band proved to be simpler than expected, with Stadtlander noting, “‘The Boss Project’ hit me like a ton of bricks. When I presented the idea to Paul, he immediately said ‘Yes! That’s great, I love it!’” and from that day forward, they were officially The Boss Project. However, the two knew that they were a long way from taking the stage.
As one of the only groups in history who managed to stay intact with the majority of its most influential members, Gold and Stadtlander didn’t cut any corners during their audition process, searching for the best of the best to step into the shoes of the E. Street Band. In addition to filling the non-negotiable roles of Bruce ‘The Boss’ Springsteen, Clarence ‘The Big Man’ Clemons, Steve ‘Miami Steve’ Van Zandt and more, The Boss Project was faced with the monumental task of capturing the essence and energy of a real, live Springsteen experience. It took months of preparation for The Boss Project to play their first show as a group, but in December of 2013, the crew finally made their debut in Hollywood, FL.
While The Boss Project has had their fair share of lineup changes throughout the years, the group seems to have found its rhythm with its current members, Paul and Cary - who continue to assume their respective roles - John Harden (“Clarence Clemons”) on sax, Tom Larkin (“Garry Tallent”) on bass, Mark ‘Muggie Doo’ Leach (“Danny Federici”) on Hammond B-3 Organ, Jeff Levine (“Roy Bitten”) on keys, and last but not least, Wayne Hood (“Nils Lofgren”) and Elliot Negrin (“Steve Van Zandt”) on guitar. Most recently, they found their first “Patti Scialfa” in Lauren Tuma, the first female to ever join the band, on background vocals and percussion. The Boss Project is proof that life does in fact imitate art, with many of its members bearing an uncanny physical resemblance to their counterparts. “We have been so lucky to get musicians of such a high caliber in this band, it’s really unbelievable!” Paul says often, “We sometimes have to pinch ourselves.”
Covering decades of Springsteen’s beloved catalogue, The Boss Project has done the (nearly) impossible, not by merely replicating what’s no less than an immortal show, but by presenting audiences with a taste of the up-close and personal magic that only a small percentage of the E. Street Band’s millions upon millions of fans will ever have the privilege to see in concert. In more than a decade filled with live performances in front of countless audiences, The Boss Project has garnered a reputation for leaving it all out on the stage with every show they play, with fans across the nation commenting "I'm a huge Springsteen fan and seen all of the Springsteen tributes. You guys are the best!”, "I wasn't a Springsteen fan, until now!...this band and this show was incredible!”, "Best band or tribute we've ever had here, by far!”, and many more.
The legacy of Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band spans across generations, bridging the gap between what was, what is and what will always be - and what will always and forever be is The Boss. And no one, other than the man himself, is better at keeping the legend alive than The Boss Project.