"And The Big Man Joined the Band"

Strong Nor'easterly winds, a small rock n'roll club, the magic of Asbury Park and our good fortune brought Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen together many years ago. Unfortunately on Saturday Springsteen's fateful friend of forty years passed away.

Thankfully one of my best friends introduced me to Springsteen's deeper catalog of music several years ago and we actually got to see The E Street Band during The Rising tour in Atlanta.  I hate to say for too long my Springsteen roots didn't go any deeper than Born in The USA.  My roots would have stopped growing if I'd never heard the Big Man's saxophone sounds on "Promised Land","Spirit In The Night" and of course "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out".

I've come a long way since then and as I sit here tonight listening to Dave Marsh's tribute to Clarence Clemons on Sirius satellite radio, I'm staring at the cover of my vinyl version of Born To Run.  This is one of my favorite rock and roll photographs much less one of the greatest album covers of all time.  I love Bruce's expression and how you can see him leaning on Clarence.  You just know how much they depended on each other and how close they were as friends and bandmates.

The songs that we love from musicians become a part of us and in turn we sometimes feel close to the musicians them selves even though we've never met.  Its a powerful thing when someone like Clarence Clemons dies and it affects people so strongly that haven't even met him.  I think that is a testimony to the power of music and I think that would make the Big Man very happy.


I cant imagine how it would be even possible for Bruce to go onstage in the future and look to his right and not see Clarence.  My thoughts go to The E Street Band family and the family of Clarence Clemons.  These are all my thoughts but I'd like to end here with a statement from the Big Man's best friend.

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.

Clarence Clemons

January 11, 1942-June 18, 2011


























Mike Smith-The ShowBiz Kids