s nils lofgren. jerry lee lewis at the mic, nils lofgre chuck berry out front? nils lofgren.e nelson and friends? if you blink you'll miss him, but there's nils lofgren. performing before tens oes aying sideman to the household names. >> even though i'm grateful for a reputation as a gulayer, i don't need to solo. i enjoy giving it up and being a guy in the btid, and contri as best i can. >> reporter: but had things broken a b differently, he might have been one of those household names himself, though that's kind of a long story. >> by the way i just want you to know this month i'm celebrating 50 years on the road. >> reporter: nils lofgren fell in love with music early, but he didn't begin with guitar lessons. you started out on the accordion? >> yes. my mom's sicilian, my dad's swedish, and it's a big part of their heritage, the accordion. so, i asked for lessons. i still love the accordion. but, you know, the written note in classical music, which i zeudied classical accordion after the waand polkas-- you know, all the emotion has to come inside the notes written. you can