Remembering Clarence Clemons

Clarence Clemons, the legendary musician who played along with Bruce Springsteen as a part of the E Street Band for nearly 40 years died on Saturday, June 18^th at the age of 69. The well-known saxophonist suffered a stroke on June 12^th in his Florida home and ultimately lost his battle after several complications from the attack. Fans and colleagues all over the world are in mourning for the fallen talent.

Clarence Clemons first met Bruce Springsteen in September 1971, when the two were first trying to break into the recording industry. During the next year, Springsteen used Clemons' services on two songs for his debut album, '˜Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ,' and by October 1972 Clemmons had left his previous band to make his debut on stage as a part of the E Street Band.

Throughout the height of Springsteen's popularity in the 70's and 80's, Clemons played a prominent role in his music, playing saxophone solos on such standards as '˜Born to Run,' '˜Thunder Road,' and '˜Independence Day.' Anyone who watched Springsteen knew that Clemons was an integral part of the band. In addition to working with Springsteen, Clarence Clemons kept busy in his own right, working with many other recording artists. His sax work was featured on Aretha Franklin's 1985 '˜Freeway of Love' and was part of what made that song so memorable.

In that same year, Clemons made a rare vocal contribution in a duet with singer Jackson Browne on a fun little ditty called '˜You're a Friend of Mine.' The theme to that one epitomized the lovable human being that made him the center of an extended circle of family and friends. One of his most recent collaborations was with Lady Gaga, playing saxophone on three songs from her '˜Born This Way' album.

Springsteen issued a statement that echoes what many felt about the fallen artist:

"Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him -- 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."

Fans and colleagues paid homage to the fallen star. U2 dedicated a song to Clemons at their concert in Anaheim, California. Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade, of whom Clemons was a big fan, tweeted "RIP Clarence Clemons -- Great musician, but an even greater person." Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello also took to Twitter, thanking the saxophonist for "sweetening the sound of our planet" with his sax and his soul. RollingStone.com is encouraging fans to simultaneously play '˜Jungle Land,' featuring one of his most recognizable solos at 6 p.m. tonight, and Backstreets.com, an unofficial fan site issued this final, appropriate statement:

"As long as we tell the stories, as long as we play the songs, as long as we remember, the Big Man will always be with us."