Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons was born January 11, 1942 and died in a Palm Beach, Florida hospital on June 18. 2011 of complications from a stroke suffered 6 days earlier at his home in Singer Island, Florida. He was 69. Youngstown's Gary Markasky of The Michael Stanley Band recalls recording with The Big Man Clarence Clemons for the group's "Heartland" album. Clarence blew sax on tracks such as "Lover" and "He Can't Love You"
I was lucky enough to see The Big Man's last show ever with Bruce Springsteen and The E. Street Band in Buffalo. It was November 22nd, 2009, the final stop on the Working on a Dream tour. I'll never forget Bruce and Big Man walking off stage arm in arm for the last time ever. The show was officially released as a live LP in December 2016. We also did an in-store promotion with Clarence back in the day at Phar-Mor to promote one of his CDs.
Clarence on "Jungleland" might be his signature solo, but his most heartfelt is on "Secret Garden"
The Big Man had a chance to tryout for the Cleveland Browns but was injured in an auto accident. I think everybody is glad he ended up playing music and not pro football.