Actor Hank Azaria received a surprise text message from a dentist's office last summer, featuring a video from Bruce Springsteen. The Boss, suffering from a toothache, praised Azaria's performance of 'Prove It All Night' by his tribute band, Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band. 'I got a surprise one day by Bruce,' Azaria said, imitating Springsteen: 'I'm sitting here with a terrible toothache and while I'm sitting here with a toothache, I was fabulously entertained by your version of Prove it All Night.'
From Birthday Party to Full-Fledged Tour
The project began in 2024 when Azaria planned a 60th birthday party at New York's City Winery, telling friends a Springsteen tribute band would perform. However, he had secretly been preparing for months. 'I told all my friends that I had a Springsteen tribute band coming, but I didn't tell them that I had been working a long time to front it,' he said. 'And then I just kind of sprung it on people. We played for an hour and a half and it gave me a vocal project to work on that I could obsess on instead of just focusing on turning 60.'
The band has since grown beyond a one-off event, earning coverage in Rolling Stone, Interview, The New York Post, Vulture, and Billboard. Azaria has even turned down acting roles to focus on the band and his vocal training, according to a Rolling Stone interview.
Mastering Springsteen's Voice
Azaria, best known for voicing multiple characters on The Simpsons, found singing like Springsteen far more challenging than any previous role. 'I'm a mimic, I've been imitating everyone I can since I was a kid. To sing like Bruce, that's a whole different thing,' he said. 'Singing like Bruce actually requires actual singing lessons and taking it seriously and learning to make them sounds and breathe properly and not destroy your own voice. I've really been loving that as well.'
Upcoming Performances and Charity
Hank Azaria and the EZ Street Band will perform at the Wildhorse Saloon on July 8 during the Calgary Stampede, followed by Ottawa Bluesfest on July 10. The shows raise funds for Azaria's 4 Through 9 Foundation, a social justice and education charity he founded with his wife, Katie Wright. Performances include not only Springsteen's biggest hits but also storytelling, a key element of Springsteen's own concerts. 'The talk part is the easy part,' Azaria added, briefly slipping into his Springsteen imitation.
