Clarence Clemons
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| Clarence Clemons | |
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| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Big Man |
| Born | January 11, 1942 |
| Origin | Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Rock |
| Instrument(s) | Saxophone, percussion |
| Associated acts | E Street Band, Red Bank Rockers, Bruce Springsteen |
| Website | Official Website |
Clarence Clemons (born January 11, 1942) is an American musician, best known as the saxophonist in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.
Clemons was born in Norfolk, Virginia. Known as "The Big Man", Clemons has been playing with Springsteen since 1973; 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.
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 90s he recorded a Japan only CD release called Aja and the Big Man "Get it On" (on Dreamtrain Records) with Asian-American singer/songwriter Aja Kim (who is currently the lead vocalist of the tribute band The Iron Maidens). In the 2000s Clemons has been working with a group called The Temple of Soul, and has also recorded with philanthropic teen band Creation. During the 1980s Clemons owned a Red Bank, New Jersey nightclub called Big Man's West.
Clemons was raised in Norfolk County, Virginia. He attended Maryland State College (now the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore) on a football athletic scholarship — he was a lineman with professional football aspirations until an injury derailed his sports career.
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. In 1985, Clemons was a special guest star in Diff'rent Strokes episode 8x10 "So You Want to Be a Rock Star", in which he played the role of Mr.Kingsley, a young saxophonist player helping Arnold Jackson to learn to play his sax. He has also been a guest voice in an episode of The Simpsons. He also played the role of Jack in Swing starring opposite Lisa Stansfield and Hugo Speer, directed by Nick Mead. He appeared alongside Michael McKean and David Bowe as a miner in one episode of musician Weird Al Yankovic's children's television show The Weird Al Show. He appeared in an episode of Damon Wayan's television show, My Wife And Kids as a musician and performed an original composition, co written with bassist, Lynn Woolever, called "One Shadow In The Sun". Clemons twice appeared as a Baltimore youth-program organizer in HBO's crime drama The Wire.[1][2]
According to The Smoking Gun website, Clemons is the only male member of the E Street Band to enjoy a private dressing room. In it, he requires Carr's Water Biscuits and Beluga Caviar. Additionally, Clemons has a whole roasted chicken delivered to his dressing room promptly at 9:45 during every Springsteen performance.[3]
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