R.I.P Big Man

An original member of The E Street Band and a man who defined a generation of sax solos, died on Saturday due to complications from a stroke.


The Big Man Clarence Clemons passed away on Saturday June 18, 2011 from complications of a stroke he had suffered on June 12. He was 69 years old. Fans flooded the internet with praise and condolences. So much so that Clarence’s own website crashed.

OK, I will fully admit to having said (on numerous occasions) that the reason ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’ is my favorite Bruce Springsteen album is partly due to the conspicuous lack of saxophone. Despite that, there can be no denying the sheer impact The Big Man’s sound and presence had on the world of rock ‘n roll.

Teaming up with Springsteen nearly 40 years ago in Asbury Park, that wailing horn defined a generation of sax solos. Love them or hate them, there can be no mistaking the passion and soul Clemons added to the music.

Take for example the epic ‘Jungleland’ from the album ‘Born to Run’. Without that iconic sax solo, it would not have been the moving, heart-wrenching opera that it was.

Aside from the music, what resonates the most about the man’s life was his relationship with Bruce Springsteen. The two men often described what they had as being more than love, more than friendship, more than family. In a 2009 interview, Clemons talks about their amazing connection.

The following is Bruce’s statement on the death of Clemons:

“Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band.”

From his memoirs, Clemons recalls first meeting Springsteen:

“The first song we did was an early version of “Spirit In The Night”. Bruce and I looked at each other and didn’t say anything, we just knew. We knew we were the missing links in each other’s lives. He was what I’d been searching for. In one way he was just a scrawny little kid. But he was a visionary. He wanted to follow his dream. So from then on I was part of history.”

That moment was later immortalized in Springsteen’s song ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out’:

When the change was made uptown
And the big man joined the band
From the coastline to the city
All the little pretties raise their hands

R.I.P. Big Man. You will be missed.

See Also:
Clarence Clemons
Bruce Springsteen


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