Rock ‘n Roll saxophone player Clarence Clemons, whose sound has been a constant in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band for 40 years now, passed away tonight from complications of a stroke he suffered last Sunday.
Here is the message that Bruce Springsteen just released on his website:
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.
Bruce Springsteen said of Clarence: 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.
Rest easy, Clarence, you ain’t gonna study war no more.
The biggest thing about the “Big Man” was his heart. All the tools and toys in the world are no substitute for a heart.
Your heart shall be missed, Clarence.
Peace,
paul