Bruce has had a long and varied musical career with its beginnings in blues and rock. He was influenced by artists and groups that were popular when he began forming early musical impressions growing up in Seattle: Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, B. B. King, and Billy Butler (guitarist with the Bill Doggett Combo).

When Bruce arrived in CA he found work playing with local Latin bands in East L.A., but then took a gig with a traveling show called Brother Love (later Pratt & McClain of Happy Days). Lofgren and his new friend, bassist Brian Vidor (now owner of Typhoon Restaurant in Santa Monica) worked Las Vegas, Tahoe, Miami and Hawaii with that band for almost a year.

While in Las Vegas, Bruce hooked up with Ray Anthony, whose dazzling 10-piece show band (and Bookend Review) was headlining at the lounge of the Frontier Hotel along with Brother Love. Bruce brought some of his original charts to one of Ray's rehearsals which led to him and Ray making plans to cut an LP of Lofgren jazz-rock originals.

As a guitarist Lofgren also gigged with Tony Rizzi and his Five Guitars plus Four, a unique and challenging group which performed the music of Charlie Christian harmonized for five guitars. In this group were such great players as: Tony Rizzi, Jimmy Wyble, Pete Christlieb, Grant Geissman, Tim May, Tom Ranier, and Jeff Hamilton, Tommy Tedesco, and Steve Carnelli.

From the mid '70s Lofgren was constantly composing his own works for jazz orchestra as well as arranging music for other artists. He wrote for The Osmonds, Donny and Marie Show, Doc Severinson's Tonight Show Orchestra, Loggins and Messina and Donna Summer. He had his jazz/rock composition Three Day Suckers recorded by the Buddy Rich Orchestra on the successful album Big Band Machine. Lofgren received a gold record for work done on the CBS project Native Sons by Loggins and Messina, a gold single for arranging Yes, I'm Ready for Teri De Sario (produced by K.C. and the Sunshine Band). He wrote two arrangements for Donna Summer on the platinum album Live and More, and co-wrote the theme for the syndicated T.V. show Johnny Carson's Comedy Classics. He has composed music for many industrial films and hundreds of radio and T.V. commercials. Songwriter Lofgren also penned a song to honor Kirk Douglas at an LAUSD ribbon cutting ceremony with Kirk Douglas. Lofgren arranged music for Keith Emerson's guest appearance at the Led Zeppelin reunion concert at London's O2 Stadium.