Elliot Easton, the lead guitarist of The Cars, was reportedly born Elliott Steinberg and spent most of his childhood and youth in Massapequa, Long Island. He attended Massapequa High School. He was a Long Island native before relocating to Boston to attend the Berklee College of Music.
Here is a link to content filmed by Easton for Long Island radio station WBAB. Here is a link to some of the resources your local library in Nassau County can get you from Easton and The Cars.
A recent Bay Shore, Long Island appearance by Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes was recently covered by Newsday, which you can read here.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on April 16, 2025. Updated on June 12, 2025.
Cheap Trick, the iconic rock band known for their high-energy performances and power-pop anthems, also shares several unique ties to Long Island. One of the most enduring tributes in their live shows is their frequent cover of "I'm Waiting for the Man" by The Velvet Underground, a song penned by Freeport native Lou Reed. For decades, Cheap Trick has incorporated this gritty, streetwise classic -- as sung by bassist Tom Petersson -- into their setlists, honoring Reed's raw, influential songwriting and his Long Island roots. Their rendition of the song has become a staple at live performances, connecting Cheap Trick’s Midwestern rock sound with the edgy, urban poetry of a Long Island native.
Beyond the stage, the band’s ties to Long Island are also personal. Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick’s lead guitarist and chief songwriter, relied for many years on Larry Melero, a long-time guitar technician who lived in Wantagh. Known for his elaborate collection of custom guitars and onstage showmanship, Nielsen's close collaboration with his tech ensured that every instrument was tour-ready -- and this behind-the-scenes connection further linked the band to the Long Island music community. Coincidentally, Cheap Trick has performed many times in Wantagh over the years, as the town hosts both Mulcahy's and Northwell Health At Jones Beach Amphitheater.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on June 27, 2025.
Alice Cooper, the legendary shock rock band fronted by Vincent Furnier (who later changed his name legally to Alice Cooper), has long been known for its theatrical performances, dark humor, and genre-defining hits like “School’s Out” and “No More Mr. Nice Guy.” While the band originated in Arizona and later made its mark as a Los Angeles-based group, there is a lesser-known but significant tie to Long Island: its longtime manager and behind-the-scenes visionary, Shep Gordon, hails from Oceanside, New York -- one town over from Island Park's The Action House, which hosted an early touring gig for Alice Cooper.
Shep Gordon, who helped craft the band’s outrageous image and guided their rise to stardom in the 1970s, is often credited with revolutionizing music management, branding, and shock-value marketing. He was the subject of the Mike Myers-directed documentary Supermensch, which detailed the ascent of Alice Cooper with relation to Gordon.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on July 15, 2025.
David Crosby was twice honored by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame -- first in 1991 as a founding member of The Byrds and again in 1997 with Crosby, Stills & Nash -- highlighting his indelible impact on folk-rock and the broader tapestry of American music. As a harmonist extraordinaire, Crosby helped shape the genre with classics like “Eight Miles High,” “Wooden Ships,” “Guinnevere,” and “Déjà Vu,” leaving an enduring legacy that is recognized within multiple spots of Rolling Stone’s The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time rankings.
Crosby’s roots and influence, however, extend far beyond music. He was reportedly a direct descendant of William Floyd, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and a prominent Long Island figure whose Mastic Beach estate is now part of the Fire Island National Seashore. Fire Island News confirmed that Floyd was Crosby’s fourth-great-grandfather and that the lineage weaves through notable Dutch-American families like the Van Cortlandts, Delafields, and Van Rensselaers.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on July 9, 2025.