Image via Wikipedia
This is a belated but sincere post as “The Big Man” sadly passed away on June 18th aged 69.
His dynamic, growling saxophone solos will always be remembered. I first started listening to Springsteen with the release of “Born To Run” and cannot stress hard enough how much
the saxophone of Clarence Clemons was so important to that album.
Of course Clemons musical contribution runs far wider than the “E street band” both personally and together with the likes of the Grateful Dead, Aretha Franklin and Roy Orbison and
I always will remember my surprise when he popped up in “The Wire”.
My commiserations to his many friends and family.
I would like say thanks for the many hours of great music he has provided me with that will certainly stay with me for the rest of my life.
I leave the last words with Clarence himself who was recalling his first meeting with Springsteen:
One night we were playing in Asbury Park. I’d heard The Bruce Springsteen Band was nearby at a club called The Student Prince and on a break between sets I walked over there. On-stage, Bruce used to tell different versions of this story but I’m a Baptist, remember, so this is the truth. A rainy, windy night it was, and when I opened the door the whole thing flew off its hinges and blew away down the street. The band were on-stage, but staring at me framed in the doorway. And maybe that did make Bruce a little nervous because I just said, “I want to play with your band,” and he said, “Sure, you do anything you want.” 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.
Damn right you’re a part of history Clarence
Vinylization
Related articles
- Twelve Artists Who Worked With Clarence Clemons (wzlx.radio.com)
- Music Diary Songs of Note: R.I.P. Clarence Clemons, aka ‘The Big Man’ With Bruce Springsteen (geardiary.com)
- Photo Profile: Clarence Clemons (wzlx.radio.com)
- E Street Band Sax Player Clarence Clemons Dies at 69 (sfcmac.wordpress.com)
- RIP Clarence Clemons (lunkiandsika.wordpress.com)
