How much is Max Weinberg worth?
| Net Worth: | $45 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Drummer |
| Date of Birth: | April 13, 1951 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.75 m |
About Max Weinberg
American musician and television personality Max Weinberg was born on April 13, 1951. His estimated net worth is $45 million. Max Weinberg is remembered by Conan O’Brien viewers as the reserved bandleader who primarily communicated through his drum kit. Additionally, it was inevitable that fans would be shocked to hear that Weinberg was a talented musician even before he founded the renowned Max Weinberg 7 or served as the drummer for Bruce Springsteen‘s E. Street Band.
In April 1951, Weinberg was born in Newark, New Jersey. He was the only boy out of the four kids Bertram and Ruth raised in the suburbs of New Jersey.
Young Years
Young Max’s life was influenced by music. Weinberg was mesmerized by the sights and sounds, from the loud, brash bands of Broadway to rock ‘n’ roll icons like Elvis Presley. He even describes the turning point in his musical career as hearing drummer D.J. Fontana perform with Presley on The Milton Berle Show in 1956. Even though he was only five years old, the musician captured his attention, and he decided then that he wanted to pursue a career as a drummer.
At the ages of six and seven, Weinberg was performing in front of an audience while playing with a band at a bar mitzvah. Herbie Zane, the bandleader, liked Weinberg and invited him to join in on a few songs at several additional performances, exploiting Weinberg’s skill and youth as a humorous element of the show. Weinberg learned the fundamentals of drumming from Zane, including how to play the hot cha-cha and merege, plug through a polka and the hora, jazz standards, rock ‘n’ roll, and more. Zane continued to see Weinberg throughout junior high.
By his senior year of high school, Weinberg began playing in rock bands and drawing inspiration by Mitch Ryder and the Detroit While, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, and other artists. As he started college at Adelphi University after graduating, he continued to play in bands and even recorded an album with the band Blackstone.
Weinberg started to envision his future as a lawyer, with music having some effect, but only as a secondary one, as he transitioned from Adephi to Seton Hall University and from cinema studies to law.
Then Bruce Springsteen appeared.
Making music for “The Boss”
While still a student and still residing with his parents, Weinberg was a member of The Jim Marino Band when the group was booked to open for rising sensation Bruce Springsteen at Seton Hall. That was sufficient for Weinberg to respond to an advertisement for Springsteen’s band in The Village Voice. He performed the Springsteen song “Sandy” which he had heard from supporting the singer previously at Seton, and won the part. Springsteen gave Weinberg the position after just one week.
Nearing graduation, Weinberg decided against continuing his studies despite having a great work ethic (he would subsequently return to school to complete his degree). But that work ethic solidified his position as the main drummer for the E. Street Band. He remained faithful to his conviction that his job was to “show up, do a good job, and give them more than their money’s worth.” refusing to adopt the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle.
Being the drummer for the E. Street Band wasn’t always simple. In order to recover from a loss throughout timing, he suffered in the 1980s and had to improve his expertise. Additionally, the continuous playing caused tendinitis, repetitive stress injuries, and a half-dozen surgeries to treat those problems.
Weinberg performed with Springsteen up to the dissolution of the E. Street Band in 1989. Over the following 25 years, the band would reassemble multiple times to perform on international tours.
Staying up late
It’s almost like a Hollywood story how Max Weinberg managed to land Conan O’Brien the position of band leader. Following the dissolution of the E. Street Band, Weinberg was unsure of what to do with himself. Instead of finding employment as a second string drummer on the Broadway production of Tommy, he pondered continuing school.
Then, one evening, Weinberg made a pit stop at New York City’s renowned Carnegie Deli, where he met O’Brien. O’Brien was just chosen to take over as host of Late Night from David Letterman. Legend has it that after discussing the show’s music and house band, Weinberg convinced O’Brien to give him an audition.
After assembling a band with musicians he has collaborated with in the past, Weinberg quickly secured the position. The Max Weinberg 7 was created instantly.
The Max Weinberg 7 then relocated to Los Angeles with the late-night host in 2009 after Jay Leno decided to depart The Tonight Show and NBC decided to hire Conan as the new host.
The now-established band had to make two distinct alterations as a result of the relocation. A change in name to Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band and the addition of James Wormworth as a new percussionist.
Sadly, the appearance on Tonight was brief. In a twist of events that matched some of the best soap operas on television, Leno returned to Tonight after his primetime show was cancelled while O’Brien hosted for less than a year.
Conan’s exit from Tonight included a one-year legal restriction from appearing on television (he broke his contract by leaving the show). O’Brien’s return to television was all but guaranteed, so the band decided to stick with him once more.
What could the band do while waiting? Why, of course, accompany Conan on his tour. Everyone from the original band was a part of Conan’s live tour, which was called The Legally Prohibited from Appearing on Television Tour. A number of guest stars were also present.
Almost everyone, I suppose. Weinberg decided against joining the crew. For a while, the cause was kept a secret. Soon after Tonight’s finale, Weinberg underwent heart surgery and decided to give up the daily grind of late-night television in favor of spending more time with his family and his New Jersey home.
However, music would draw him back to a revived E. Street Band, a new Springsteen record, and a new tour.
Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band
Fans of Conan O’Brien have come to know the late-night talk show host’s house band by a variety of titles due to fluctuating tides of fortune. Of course, The Max Weinberg 7 came first.
The tale of how Max Weinberg obtained the position as band leader sounds like it belongs in a Hollywood film. His professional band, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, had disbanded. What to do with himself was clear to Weinberg. Instead of completing his education—Weinberg left college with a few credits remaining when he was hired as Bruce Springsteen’s drummer—he found work as a second string drummer on the Broadway production of Tommy.
Following a night with Tommy, Weinberg made a pit stop at New York City’s renowned Carnegie Deli, where he met Conan O’Brien. O’Brien was just chosen to take over as host of Late Night from David Letterman. Legend has it that after discussing the show’s music and house band, Weinberg convinced O’Brien to give him an audition.
From the players he had collaborated with throughout the years, Weinberg put together a band. Richie Rosenberg and Mark Pender were two of the musicians that Weinberg collaborated with while recording for Springsteen. These two were acquainted with Jimmy and Jerry Vivino, two local studio musicians. Together, they found the last two band members, Scott Healy and Mike Merritt, who had previously collaborated with the Vivino brothers in a few bands.
Tonight’s the night
The Max Weinberg 7 went to Los Angeles with the late-night star in 2009 when Jay Leno decided to depart The Tonight Show and NBC decided to hire Conan as the new host.
The now-established band had to make two distinct alterations as a result of the relocation. A change in name to Max Weinberg and The Tonight Show Band and the addition of James Wormworth as a new percussionist.
The band’s modest modifications were less obvious. A more subdued musical approach that better fits the brand’s less frantic tastes and pays homage to the band’s New York routes (astute viewers would have seen the Empire State and Chrysler buildings standing tall in the L.A. skyline behind the band).
Sadly, the appearance on Tonight was brief. In a twist of events that matched some of the best soap operas on television, Leno returned to Tonight after his primetime show was cancelled while O’Brien hosted for less than a year.
The most illegal late night band around
Conan’s exit from Tonight included a one-year legal restriction from appearing on television (he broke his contract by leaving the show). O’Brien’s return to television was all but guaranteed, so the band decided to stick with him once more.
What could the band do while waiting? Why, of course, accompany Conan on his tour. Everyone from the original band was a part of Conan’s live tour, which was called The Legally Prohibited from Appearing on Television Tour. A number of guest stars were also present.
Almost everyone, I suppose. Weinberg decided against joining the crew. For a while, the cause was kept a secret. Later on, it was discovered that Weinberg’s heart surgery shortly after Tonight’s finale was the cause.
Jimmy Vivino assumes leadership of the group.
The band was reunited on-air for TBS’s Conan premiere in late 2010. With the exception of Weinberg, who after undergoing a procedure that changed his life decided to leave the program. He made the decision to stay in New Jersey with family and friends, but he occasionally makes guest appearances.
Once it was known Weinberg wouldn’t be coming back, Wormworth replaced Vivino as the permanent percussionist and was elevated to bandleader. Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band was the new moniker that the group adopted.
In January 2016, Weinberg embarked on another tour with Springsteen and the E Street Band for The River Tour 2016. Max Weinberg’s net worth is projected to be $45 million as of 2023. Weinberg continued to perform with Springsteen, and as a member of the E Street Band, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Quick facts
- Weinberg played with just four drums because he thought anything more was unnecessary.
- Weinberg’s wedding band when he wed Rebecca Schick was Springsteen.
- Weinberg is passionate in architecture and real estate.
- conducted interviews with several drummers for the The Drummer series of publications.
Band Leader: Jimmy Vivino
Previous Band Leaders: Max Weinberg
Band members: Jimmy Vivino, Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg, Jerry Vivino, Mark Pender, Scott Healy, Mike Merritt, James Wormworth
