Clarence Clemons
Clarence Clemons ( born January 11, 1942 in Norfolk, Virginia, † 18 June, 2011 Palm Beach, Florida) was an American saxophonist. He has played in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
Life and work
Clarence Clemons ' father owned a fish shop, his grandfather was a Baptist preacher. At age nine, he was given a saxophone; an early influence on his game had King Curtis, especially his saxophone part in the The Coasters Yakety Yak hit of 1958, he studied at the Maryland State College with an emphasis on sports and music.; However, a knee injury ended his football career. His musical career began in Newark in the late 1960s.
His saxophone playing was then added to a load-bearing part of the group sound of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. As influences he himself called Junior Walker, King Curtis, and Gato Barbieri. His saxophone pieces embossed always the sound of the E Street Band and thus Springsteen. Clemons, because of his stature often just called " Big Man ", was next to Steven Van Zandt as head of the band and was, in contrast to Van Zandt, since Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ ( Springsteen's first album ) on board. At the concerts of Bosses Clemons enjoyed special esteem, which was particularly evident when Springsteen presented his band. In addition, he was also immortalized in the Born to Run Tenth Avenue Freeze Out Classic:
When the change which made uptown And the Big Man joined the band From the coastline to the city All the little pretties raise Their hands
In addition, Clemons had a Top 20 hit in 1985 with You're a Friend of Mine, a duet with Jackson Browne. In 1990 he can be heard on the album Freeze the Dutch rock musician Herman Brood. He appeared in 1991 on the album Love of German - Rockers Peter Maffay and accompanied him on his 1992 Love Tour; In the same year he participated in the sessions for the album zoom of Alvin Lee. He also participated in recordings of Aretha Franklin and Twisted Sister, most recently with Lady Gaga's album Born This Way.
The end of 2009 Clemons published his biography Big Man - Real Life & Tall Tales with a preface by Bruce Springsteen. During the Working on a Dream Tour 2009 Clemons had health problems in the knee, used a walking stick and played concerts predominantly in a chair. In January 2010, he was operated on.
Clemons died on June 18, 2011, following a stroke he suffered on June 12, 2011.
Discography
Albums
1983: Rescue ( Clarence Clemons And The Red Bank Rockers ) 1986: Hero 1989: A Night With Mr. C 1995: Peacemaker 1997: Get It On ( Aja & The Big Man, appeared only in Japan) 2002: Live In Asbury Park ( Clarence Clemons Temple Of Soul ) 2004: Live In Asbury Park Vol II ( Clarence Clemons Temple Of Soul )
Singles
- You're A Friend Of Mine 1985 - with Jackson Browne
- I wanna be your hero 1986