Clarence Clemons, født 11. januar 1942, døde i går etter at han for en uke siden ble rammet av et slag i sitt hjem i Florida.
Clarence ble 69 år gammel og har vært med Springsteen siden 1972.
Det finnes mange store legender i rockehistorien, men Clarence "The Big Man" vil alltid bli stående som en av de aller største. Ved siden av Bruce Springsteen har alltid Clarence vært den store pilaren i "The E Street Band". Hans kraftige saxofon lyd har skapt begeistring hos musikkelskere i nesten fire tiår.
Det var heller ikke tilfeldig at han alltid entret scenen om sistemann av "The E Street Band" før Springsteen selv entret scenen. Han ble også alltid introdusert til slutt for å bygge opp klimakset under konsertene av Bruce.
Den 7. desember i fjor var den siste opptredenen Clarence hadde med Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Det var i forbindelse med "The Promise" konserten i Asbury park.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55I-TJ8lPow&feature=player_embedded#at=50"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. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.
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".
- Bruce Springsteen