The News Of …

Los Angeles. Clarence Clemons, the burly saxophone player who played a crucial role in shaping Bruce Springsteen’s early sound, died on Saturday, six days after suffering a stroke at his Florida home. He was 69.
“It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away” – Springsteen said on his website, adding the cause was complications from Clemons’ stroke last Sunday.
“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” – Springsteen added.
Clemons, dubbed the ‘Big Man,’ started working with Springsteen in 1971 and was a charter member of the backing group that came to be known as the E Street Band.
His gritty, evocative saxophone solos powered such notable Springsteen songs as ‘Born to Run,’ ‘Jungleland,’ ‘Prove It All Night,’ ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out,’ and ‘Badlands.’
On stage, Clemons proved a worthy foil for Springsteen and his bandmates. In a 1975 concert review, Rolling Stone said Clemons betrayed an ‘ominous cool’ in contrast to guitarist Steven Van Zandt’s ‘strange hipster frenzy.’
“Clarence was the big black saxophone player who completely represented the tradition of rock ‘n’ roll and R&B” – Van Zandt told Britain’s Mojo magazine in 2006.

Clarence Clemons.

Bruce Springsteen says the loss of band member Clarence Clemons is ‘immeasurable’ and that he and his bandmates are honoured and thankful to have been able to stand beside him for nearly 40 years. Clemons, the saxophone player in the E Street Band, died on Saturday evening after complications from a stroke that the musician suffered about a week ago at his home in Singer Island, Florida.
Springsteen said on his website that Clemons loved the fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage.
Springsteen added that with Clarence at his side, he and the band were able to tell a story far deeper than what was simply contained in their music.
Springsteen says – Clemons’ life, memory and love will live on in their band.
Known as the Big Man for his imposing 196-metre, 122kg-plus frame, Clemons and his ever-present saxophone spent much of his life with The Boss. His solos became a signature sound for the E Street Band on many songs.

Clemons’ death is a difficult one to accept. I think back tonight on my childhood. My parents were from the south, with many of the racial misconceptions that come when you grew up in the south. I was born in California, and started listening to Bruce Springsteen at a young age. In fact, I pretty much listened to his music to the exclusion of all others, which probably isn’t the best way to go about it, but helped me become the person I am today.
I remember my first show. Up on stage, Bruce and Clarence would sing together, dance together, laugh together.
They seemed closer than brothers. The joy they brought out in each other washed over all of us in the audience and made us all feel renewed. They helped me realize that a person’s beauty is in their soul. That true friends share a connection deeper than can be explained. I didn’t instantly realize that as a child, of course, but, without me even knowing it, it had a great effect on how I viewed the world. Their connection helped me realize you could actually show emotion as a man and still remain masculine.
Yes, Clarence Clemons taught me a lot. I mourn his passing. But his music will touch my soul forever, and for that, I will always be grateful to him, to Bruce Springsteen, and to the entire band. Thank you for picking me up during the down time. Thank you for helping to make me the person I am today. God speed to you, sir, and I’m sure a gust of wind blew open the Pearly Gates when you came knocking.
Houston Mitchell.