RIP Big Man

[DrinkingHarp]

http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/amplifier/89326/saxophonist-clarence-clemons-dead-at-69/

Saxophonist Clarence Clemons Dead at 69
Posted 55 minutes ago by Caryn Ganz in Amplifier


The "Big Man," saxophonist Clarence Clemons, has died in Palm Beach, Florida, from complications of a stroke he suffered last week. The beloved 69-year-old musician met his most famous collaborator, Bruce Springsteen, at an Asbury Park, New Jersey bar during a lightning storm in 1971 and became a member of the E Street band the following year when the Boss began recording his debut album. For three decades, Clemons provided the soulful blasts that helped define Springsteen's signature sound. .

Before he joined the E Street Band, Clemons was a gospel fan and gifted athlete whose chance at a professional football career was ended by a car accident. Outside of the band, he duetted with Jackson Browne on 1985's "You're a Friend of Mine" and played sax on Aretha Franklin's "Freeway of Love." The gregarious rocker guested on Diff'rent Strokes and in Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, and took more serious roles in The Wire..

But he was best known as one of Springsteen's most trusted sidemen, a literally towering presence onstage and off. Earlier this week, Bruce asked fans to "share in a hopeful spirit that can ultimately inspire Clarence to greater heights." Tonight he issued a statement on his friend's death that reads, "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 40 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." .

Lady Gaga, who asked Clemons to play on her latest album Born This Way, released a video this week that will likely be considered the Big Man's last piece of work. In the pared-down clip for "The Edge of Glory" Clarence simply sits on a tenement stoop and blows his horn the best way he knew how -- with stylish, glorious soul..

[Dubh driocht]

The end of a dream....it's a classic line in 'Tenth avenue freeze-out' - '...when the big man joined the band' . A privilege and happy memory to have seen him blow his sax with passion and vigour, Bruce will be devastated but , as they say, the music lives on.

[Sandino]

Dubh, thats one of my favorite lines in music! Rest In Peace, Clarence, the end of an era.

[mackers]

The end of a dream....it's a classic line in 'Tenth avenue freeze-out' - '...when the big man joined the band' . A privilege and happy memory to have seen him blow his sax with passion and vigour, Bruce will be devastated but , as they say, the music lives on.

One of my favourites too..................never failed to raise a roar out Bruce's fans in concert.................the E Street Band will never be the same.

[David McKeown]

The end of an era. I was honoured to have seen/heard him play. The e street band will never be the same again. RIP Big Man

[westmayo]

RIP Big Man, was a pleasure to have seen him preform with Bruce and the E Street Band over the past few years, http://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DyAvolRT3sX4

[anglocelt39]

Terribly sad news, was only talking the other night to some friends trying to convert them to the Springsteen live experience. Clarence came up in the conversation and I remembered that the last time we saw them at the RDS (two years ago) he was sitting down quite a bit during and between numbers. So perhaps he was struggling a bit back then. RIP

[gallsman]

RIP, such a fundamental part of the entire Springsteen experience. No replacement could live up to him in that band.

With him and Danny Federici gone, Bruce might even start thinking about slowing down for once. Hopefully not though.

[Declan]

RIP Clarence and thanks for the memories. Great foil for the Boss and that sax sound was an integral part of the ESB. Just listened to Jungleland there - great stuff.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH_NvYPBDY0

[Billys Boots]

Thanks for everything Big Man!

[orangeman]

He'll be missed. A legend.

[J70]

Awful news. You would have to think that he's irreplaceable in the band as well, so I don't know whether we'll see the E Street Band out again. Some have said he was a limited, one dimensional player, but not many other horn players have achieved such iconic status, at least in rock'n'roll. Its hard to imagine Springsteen's music without him.
I was listening to E Street Radio on satellite radio here in the states recently, and in one of the stories Springsteen used to tell during shows back in the earlier days, he had go see God to sort out his future career. In the story, he went to Clarence to get his help in finding him, because, of course, "Clarence knows everybody"!
Absolute legend!

[Tony Baloney]

BBC closed the European Athletics with some sax magic in Paradise by the C.

[ross matt]

R.I.P Clarence. Iconic figure in the E Street Band.
Dont know what it means for the band but Bruce will definitely continue recording and touring I imagine.

[boosabum]

As mentioned, hard to know what lies ahead for the ESB. The BITUSA touring ESB didn't have Steve and then we lost Dani, so in terms of being irreplace-able, only the big man holds that mantra. Maybe Bruce can get the "other band" back together. They didn't stink the place out that badly really if you listen back to some of the shows. Maybe Clarences nephew will come on board like max's son, may as well keep it in the family