The Big Man's Dead

Monday, June 20, 2011

The Big Man's Dead

Posted By Mari Herreras on Mon, Jun 20, 2011 at 9:18 AM

Clarence Clemons, Springsteen’s Soulful Sideman, Dies at 69

From the beginnings of the E Street Band in 1972, Mr. Clemons played a central part in Mr. Springsteen’s music, complementing the group’s electric guitar and driving rhythms in songs like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” with muscular, melodic saxophone hooks that echoed doo-wop, soul and early rock ’n’ roll.

But equally important to the group’s image was the sense of affection and unbreakable camaraderie between Mr. Springsteen and his sax man. Few E Street Band shows were complete without a shaggy-dog story about the stormy night the two men met at a bar in Asbury Park, N.J., or a long bear hug between them at the end of the night.

If you'd like to listen to some of Clemons' greatest moments on Springsteen songs, check out a list on Ranker.com by music industry smart guy Vince Hans.