Clarence Clemons

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Clarence Clemons (born January 11, 1942 in Norfolk, Virginia) is an American musician, best known as the saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

Known as "The Big Man", Clemons has been playing with Springsteen since 1972; his sax parts are an easily recognized feature of the E Street sound, with the most famous being his long elegiac solo during the song "Jungleland". With the band Clemons plays mostly tenor saxophone, but has also occasionally played soprano and baritone saxophone. He also plays various percussion instruments during songs that do not have a saxophone part.

In addition, Clemons has a larger-than-life persona within the band; he serves as a visual foil to Springsteen during concerts (as well as on the Born to Run foldout album cover) and as the crowd favorite is always the last player mentioned during band introductions, usually after a lavish, over-the-top build-up from Springsteen. His arrival into the band is celebrated by Springsteen in the song "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"; many spoken introductions or interludes during Springsteen shows have also delivered tall, sometimes supernatural tales regarding Clemons' initial appearance to Springsteen.

In addition to his E Street Band work, Clemons has recorded with many other artists and has had a number of musical projects on his own. The best known of these are his 1985 vocal duet with Jackson Browne on the hit single "You're a Friend of Mine", and his saxophone work on Aretha Franklin's 1985 hit single "Freeway of Love". In the 2000s Clemons has been working with a group called The Temple of Soul.

Clemons was raised in Norfolk County, Virginia and was an aspiring professional football lineman until an injury derailed his career. The major influence on his saxophone style has been King Curtis.

Clemons has appeared in movies and on television making his debut in Martin Scorsese's 1977 musical, New York, New York in which he played a trumpet player. He can be seen as one of the Three Most Important People In The World in the 1989 film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. He has also been a Guest Voice in an episode of The Simpsons.

In 1997, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Clemons had avoided courtroom proceedings on charges of battering his girlfriend Sharlene Smalley by agreeing to seek counseling, donating $1,000 to charity, and writing a letter of apology. <ref>Clarence Clemons chooses counseling to resolve charges of assaulting his girlfriend</ref>