Monday, June 20, 2011

Remembering Clarence Clemons

Clarence Clemons whaling with Bruce Springsteen


The Big Man

Although not a huge Springsteen fan, I am a huge fan of Clarence Clemons. To say he was “larger-than-life” is an understatement. At 6’5” and 270 pounds, he owned whatever stage he graced. Every street, including E Street, was a one-way street: his way.

Following last week’s hospitalization for a stroke, Clarence left this earth. Although he’d had serious health problems for years, recently he was improving, even playing at the 2009 Superbowl halftime, and two songs on Lady Gaga’s recent “Born This Way” album.

I’ll never forget that golden evening at the Hollywood Bowl, June 1981, we went to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, with the original lineup: Steven van Zandt on guitar, Clarence Clemons on sax, Max Weinberg on drums, and Gary Tallent on bass. It was "Survival Sunday," a sort of anti-nukes awareness concert. Clarence came out in an electric blue suit, with his gleaming gold sax, completely anchoring the first set. His signature solo on “Jungleland” took him years to perfect, and will live on in our musical lexicon.

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