[Archive 2011-06-20] Clarence Clemons, Springsteen’s E Street Band sax player, dies at 69

Historical archive — originally published 2011-06-20. This report records what was known on that date. It is not current news; subsequent events may have changed the situation. Wikinews closed in May 2026.

Clarence Clemons, soulful saxophonist most famed for his forty years as a sideman in Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, died Saturday at a Palm Beach, Florida hospital. The cause of death was complications from a stroke he had suffered a week ago at his Singer Island home. He was 69.

Called the "Big Man" because of his 6-foot 5-inch frame, Clemons joined Springteen's New Jersey band in 1972. For all but two years, he was the only black in the largely white, working class group, and became a key influence in Springsteen's music as well as a trusted companion. He was a jovial on-stage presence and musically added to the band's electric guitar sound and strong rhythms. According to the New York Times, he added "muscular, melodic saxophone hooks that echoed doo-wop, soul and early rock ’n’ roll". His rollicking saxophone solos were a signature sound for the E Street Band on songs such as Jungleland, and Born To Run.

He also released several solo albums and played with other bands and artists. He was featured on Aretha Franklin's Freeway of Love and duetted with Jackson Browne on You're a Friend of Mine. Most recently, he played on Lady Gaga's latest album, Born This Way. Additionally, he occasionally acted, appearing in such movies as Martin Scorsese's New York, New York and various TV shows including Diff’rent Strokes. He famously jammed with President Bill Clinton at his first inaugural ball in 1993.

Clemons was born in Norfolk, Virginia on Jan. 11, 1942 and grew up in a religious environment, immersed in gospel music. He was drawn to rock ’n’ roll and received an alto sax as a Christmas gift when he was nine, but soon fell under the influence of King Curtis (who played on the 1958 hit Yakety Yak with the Coasters) and moved to the tenor sax. He said in an interview: "I got into the soul music, but I wanted to rock. I was a rocker. I was a born rock 'n' roll sax player."

Clemons was also a talented athlete and received a college scholarship for football and music, but he injured his knee in a car accident, ending any chances for a professional football career.

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