Clarence Clemons

RIP The greatest rock'n'roll sax player - died June 19th 2011 aged 69

Clarence was born in 1942 in Norfolk County, Virginia, USA. His grandfather was a Baptist preacher and he grew up listening to gospel music but turned to jazz having heard King Curtis. He joined Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band in 1972 and also guested as sax player with Aretha Franklin, Gary 'US' Bonds, Twisted Sister, Grateful Dead and most recently Lady Gaga.

I have been privileged to have seen The Big Man perform twice, as a member of The E-Street Band with Bruce Springsteen. During Bruce's 'River' tour in the early 1980s Clarence was full of energy as he and Bruce overcame an initial 'what's this Springsteen thing all about?' scepticism and ended up setting the audience at Wembley Arena wild with excitement.

In 2009 at Hyde Park, Clarence was clearly suffering with his health and stagehands had to help picking up his instruments. Although there was no bouncing around the stage swinging the sax high and low, it was obvious he'd lost none of his enthusiasm and whenever that baritone broke into it's mighty roar it was simply - hot night, big crowd, loud music - just incredible.

Spanning the music generations, Clarence died the day after the release of Lady Gaga's 'Edge of Glory' on which he featured.

Here's some Youtube footage of some of the best songs featuring Clarence at the Bruce Springsteen Hard Rock Calling concert in Hyde Park 2009...

Enjoy. And remember.

Bobby Jean

A perfect song in every possible way. Clarence does his stuff towards the end to close out...

The Promised Land

Clarence's solo in the middle.

Rosalita

This song is just so old - they must have performed it thousands of times but this version is as good as it gets! Totally classic.
Saw film footage of Bruce doing Rosalita on Whistle Test in the late 1970s and just had to find out more... bought the album and loved Bruce's music ever since.