Sunday Sadness ~ Clarence Clemons of the E-Street Band Dies

” Spirit in the Night “ Written by Bruce Springsteen
Released off their debut Album, ” Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. ” in 1973.

Version playing was Recorded July 7, 1978 at The Roxy Theatre.

Clarence Clemons –saxophone, vocals
Danny Federici – organ, accordion, glockenspiel, piano, synthesizer, background vocals
Bruce Springsteen – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, congas, electric guitar, harmonica, keyboards, piano, vocals
Garry Tallent – bass guitar
Steve Van Zandt – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, background vocals
Max Weinberg – drums
Roy Bittan – piano, synthesizer, background vocals

How can you write just a few words in which to describe and pay homage to this magnificent musician and human being.

In 1961 Clarence Clemons played in his first band ” The Vibratones “, they were together for four years then he moved to Newark, New Jersey where he worked as a counselor for emotionally disturbed children at the Jamesburg Training School for Boys between 1962 and 1970.

Clemons met Springsteen in 1971 when Clemons was playing with the band Norman Seldin & The Joyful Noyze at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, New Jersey. And The Bruce Springsteen Band was nearby at a club called The Student Prince. During a break he went to see Springsteen and from there it is all history. The first song encountered by Clemons that he put the missing link to was ” Spirit in the Night “.

And I cannot count the endless list of albums this man contributed to in the form of Saxophone, Percussion & Vocalist.

21+ with Springsteen alone.

Beside being with the E Street Band, his work was injected in
Aretha Franklin, Jackson Browne
Narada Michael Walden, Gary U.S. Bonds, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band and Aja Kim and countless others.

And also had released several solo albums.

Clemons also acted in 5 movies:
New York, New York (1977)
Cecil Powell
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
The Three Most Important People in the World
Fatal Instinct (1993)
Clarence
Blues Brothers 2000 (1998)
The Louisiana Gator Boys
Swing (1999)
Jack

And spots in Television shows as well.

Known as ” The Big Man “, my God in so many more ways than one.

Clarence Clemons suffered a stroke last Sunday June 12. Had two Brain surgeries hoping to stop bleeding and reverse the paralysis he suffered. Sadly Clemons just could not overcome the complications and died Saturday June 18th. He was 69 years old.

Bruce Springsteen’s statement said it all.

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.