Danny Federici has been forced to take a leave of absence from Bruce Springsteen's backing group the E Street Band, after announcing he is undergoing cancer treatment. The keyboard player's place in the band will be taken by another Springsteen sideman, Charles Giordano, for Sunday's concert in Madrid, Spain and beyond.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Springsteen said, "Danny is one of the pillars of our sound and has played beside me as a great friend for more than 40 years. We all eagerly await his healthy and speedy return."

Federici is one of just three original members of Springsteen's E Street Band. The others are saxophonist Clarence Clemons and bassist Garry Tallent.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)