Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American musician and actor. From 1972 until his death in 2011, he was the saxophonist for

The E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing care ...

. Clemons released several solo albums. In 1985, he had a hit single with "

You're a Friend of Mine "You're a Friend of Mine" is a 1985 hit song, written by Narada Michael Walden and Jeffrey Cohen, with lead vocals by Clarence Clemons and Jackson Browne in a duet. At the time of the song's release, Clemons was already well known nationally as ...

", a duet with

Jackson Browne Clyde Jackson Browne (born October 9, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and political activist who has sold over 18 million albums in the United States. Emerging as a precocious teenage songwriter in mid-1960s Los Angeles, he h ...

. As a guest musician, he featured on

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in '' Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". Wit ...

's song "

Freeway of Love "Freeway of Love" is a song by American singer Aretha Franklin. It was written by Jeffrey Cohen and Narada Michael Walden and produced by the latter for Franklin's thirtieth studio album '' Who's Zoomin' Who?'' (1985). The song features a notabl ...

". As an actor, Clemons appeared in several films, including ''

New York, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

'' and ''

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'' is a 1989 American science fiction comedy film directed by Stephen Herek and written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. The first installment of the ''Bill & Ted'' franchise, it stars Keanu Reeves, Alex Winte ...

''. He also made cameo appearances in several TV series, including ''

Diff'rent Strokes ''Diff'rent Strokes'' is an American television sitcom, which aired on NBC from November 3, 1978, to May 4, 1985, and on ABC from September 27, 1985, to March 7, 1986. The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackso ...

'', ''

Nash Bridges ''Nash Bridges'' is an American police procedural television series created by Carlton Cuse. The show stars Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit (SIU). The s ...

'', ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'', ''

My Wife and Kids ''My Wife and Kids'' is an American sitcom that ran on ABC from March 28, 2001, to May 17, 2005. The series was produced by Touchstone Television. It starred Damon Wayans as Michael Kyle, the patriarch of an African-American family. Wayans and ve ...

'' and ''

The Wire ''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2 ...

''. Clemons published ''Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales'' (2009) with his friend

Don Reo Don Reo is an American television writer and producer. He created or co-created such shows as ''Blossom'' and ''The John Larroquette Show'' for NBC, ''My Wife and Kids'' for ABC and ''The Ranch'' for Netflix. Other shows for which he has writte ...

. The book is a semi-fictional autobiography told in the third person. A documentary about his life directed by Nick Mead, titled ''Clarence Clemons: Who Do I Think I Am?'' was released in August 2019. Clemons died in 2011 at the age of 69. In 2014, he was posthumously inducted into the

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and ...

as a member of the

E Street Band The E Street Band is an American rock band, and has been musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. For the bulk of Springsteen's recording and performing caree ...

Early life

Clarence Anicholas Clemons Jr. was born on January 11, 1942, in

Norfolk County, Virginia Norfolk County was a county of the South Hampton Roads in eastern Virginia in the United States that was created in 1691. After the American Civil War, for a period of about 100 years, portions of Norfolk County were lost and the territory of th ...

(later the city of

Chesapeake Chesapeake often refers to: *Chesapeake people, a Native American tribe also known as the Chesepian * The Chesapeake, a.k.a. Chesapeake Bay *Delmarva Peninsula, also known as the Chesapeake Peninsula Chesapeake may also refer to: Populated plac ...

), the son of fish market owner Clarence Clemons, Sr. and his wife Thelma.Ben Sisario (June 18, 2011)
"Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's Soulful Sideman, Dies at 69"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', A24. Retrieved July 1, 2011.Carpenter, Brown (February 24, 2006)
Local teacher was an active participant in desegregation.
''

The Virginian-Pilot ''The Virginian-Pilot'' is the daily newspaper for Norfolk, Virginia. Commonly known as ''The Pilot'', it is Virginia's largest daily. It serves the five cities of South Hampton Roads as well as several smaller towns across southeast Virgini ...

'' He was the oldest of their three children. His grandfather was a

Southern Baptist The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptists, Baptist denomination, and the Protestantism in the United States, largest Protestantism, Protestant and Christia ...

preacher and, as a result, the young Clemons grew up in a very religious environment listening to

gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is co ...

. When he was nine, his father gave him an

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B t ...

as a Christmas present and paid for music lessons. He later switched to

baritone saxophone The baritone saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of instruments, larger (and lower-pitched) than the tenor saxophone, but smaller (and higher-pitched) than the bass. It is the lowest-pitched saxophone in common use - the bass, contrab ...

and played in a high school

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

band. His uncle also influenced his early musical development when he bought him his first

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician ...

album. Curtis, and his work with

the Coasters The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with " Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producin ...

in particular, would become a major influence on Clemons and led to him switching to

tenor saxophone The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while ...

. As a youth, Clemons also showed potential as a

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

player, and graduated from Crestwood High School (now Crestwood Middle) before attending Maryland State College on both music and

scholarships. At 6' 4" and 240 pounds,Before Bruce, Clemons Was a Big Man on Campus
''

'', William C. Rhoden, July 9, 2011. Retrieved February 26, 2020. he played as a lineman on the same team as

Art Shell Arthur Lee Shell Jr. (born November 26, 1946) is an American former professional football player in the American Football League (AFL) and later in the National Football League (NFL), a Hall of Fame offensive tackle and a two-time former head co ...

and Emerson Boozer and attracted the attention of the

Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...

, who offered him a trial. Clemons also tried out for the

Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divis ...

. However, the day before, he was involved in a serious car accident which effectively ended any plans of a career in the

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...

. He would eventually be posthumously inducted into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame on February 24, 2012. At age 18, Clemons had one of his earliest studio experiences, recording sessions with Tyrone Ashley's Funky Music Machine, a band from

Plainfield, New Jersey Plainfield is a city in Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, known by its nickname as "The Queen City."

, that included Ray Davis,

Eddie Hazel Edward Earl Hazel (April 10, 1950 – December 23, 1992) was an American guitarist and singer in early funk music who played lead guitar with Parliament-Funkadelic. Hazel was a posthumous inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 19 ...

and Billy Bass Nelson, all of whom later played with

Parliament-Funkadelic Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive ...

. He also performed with Daniel Petraitis, a New Jersey and Nashville legend. These sessions were eventually released in 2007 by Truth and Soul Records as ''Let Me Be Your Man''. While at Maryland State College, Clemons also joined his first band, the Vibratones, which played

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

covers and stayed together for about four years between 1961 and 1965. While still playing with this band, he moved to

Somerset, New Jersey Somerset is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Franklin Township, in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. ClarenceBTRApr2009

The story of how Clemons first met

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...

has entered into

mythology. "The E Street Shuffle" contains a monologue about how they met, and the event was also immortalized in " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out". They allegedly met for the first time in September 1971. At the time, Clemons was playing with Norman Seldin & the Joyful Noyze at The Wonder Bar in

Asbury Park, New Jersey Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 15,188

. Seldin was a

Jersey Shore The Jersey Shore (known by locals simply as the Shore) is the coastal region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. Geographically, the term encompasses about of oceanfront bordering the Atlantic Ocean, from Perth Amboy in the north to Cape May P ...

musician/entrepreneur who, as well as playing piano and leading various bands, had his own record label, Selsom Records. In 1969, Clemons had recorded an

eponymous An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

album with this band. In 2008, tracks from this album were reissued on an anthology, ''Asbury Park — Then and Now'', put together by Seldin. It was Karen Cassidy, lead vocalist with the Joyful Noyze, who encouraged Clemons to check out Springsteen, who was playing with the Bruce Springsteen Band at the nearby Student Prince. Clemons recalled their meeting in various interviews:

One night we were playing in Asbury Park. I'd heard The Bruce Springsteen Band was nearby at a club called The Student Prince and on a break between sets I walked over there. On-stage, Bruce used to tell different versions of this story but I'm a
Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only ( believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul c ...
, remember, so this is the truth. A rainy, windy night it was, and when I opened the door the whole thing flew off its hinges and blew away down the street. The band were on-stage, but staring at me framed in the doorway. And maybe that did make Bruce a little nervous because I just said, "I want to play with your band," and he said, "Sure, you do anything you want." The first song we did was an early version of " Spirit in the Night". Bruce and I looked at each other and didn't say anything, we just knew. We knew we were the missing links in each other's lives. He was what I'd been searching for. In one way he was just a scrawny little kid. But he was a visionary. He wanted to follow his dream. So from then on I was part of history.

However, well before this meeting, Clemons and Springsteen had moved within the same circle of musical acquaintances. Norman Seldin had managed and promoted several local bands, including The Motifs who featured Vinnie Roslin, later to play with Springsteen in

Steel Mill A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel. It may be an integrated steel works carrying out all steps of steelmaking from smelting iron ore to rolled product, but may also be a plant where steel semi-fini ...

. On April 22, 1966, Seldin had also organized a Battle of the Bands competition at the Matawan-Keyport Roller Drome in Matawan, New Jersey. Springsteen was among the entrants playing with his then band, The Castiles. Billy Ryan, who played lead guitar with The Joyful Noyze, also played in The Jaywalkers with

Garry Tallent Garry Wayne Tallent (born October 27, 1949), sometimes billed as Garry W. Tallent, is an American musician and record producer, best known for being bass player and founding member of the E Street Band, Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band si ...

and Steve Van Zandt. Clemons himself had also played with Tallent in Little Melvin & The Invaders. In July 1972, Springsteen began recording his debut album ''

Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was produced by Mike Appel and Jim Cretecos from June through October 1972 at the budget-priced 914 Sound Studios. The album was ...

'' and during breaks from recording, he jammed with Clemons and The Joyful Noyze on at least two occasions at The Shipbottom Lounge in

Point Pleasant, New Jersey Point Pleasant is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was down from 19,306 in 2000 but still up from 18,177 in 1990. The Borough is a Jersey Shore community s ...

. When Springsteen then decided to use a tenor saxophone on the songs "

Blinded by the Light "Blinded by the Light" is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, a which first appeared on his 1973 debut album ''Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J.'' A cover by British rock band Manfred Mann's Earth Band reached number one on the ...

" and " Spirit in the Night", he called Clemons. By October Springsteen was ready to tour and promote ''Greetings…'' and he put together a band featuring Clemons, Tallent, Danny Federici and Vini Lopez. Clemons played his last gig with Norman Seldin & The Joyful Noyze at the Club Plaza in

Bayville, New Jersey Bayville is an unincorporated community located within Berkeley Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08721. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population for ZIP ...

, on October 21, 1972. Four days later Clemons made his debut with the formative

at an unadvertised, impromptu performance at The Shipbottom Lounge. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Clemons featured prominently on Springsteen's albums. On ''

Born to Run ''Born to Run'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on August 25, 1975, by Columbia Records. As his effort to break into the mainstream, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number three ...

'' he provided memorable saxophone solos on the

title track A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title. Title track may a ...

, " Thunder Road", " She's the One", "

Night Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends ...

" and "

Jungleland "Jungleland" is the closing song on Bruce Springsteen's 1975 album ''Born to Run''. It contains one of E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons' most recognizable solos. It also features short-time E Streeter Suki Lahav, who performs the delic ...

". ''

Darkness on the Edge of Town ''Darkness on the Edge of Town'' is the fourth studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen, released on June 2, 1978, by Columbia Records. The album marked the end of a three-year gap between albums brought on by contract ...

'' featured notable solos by Clemons on "

Badlands Badlands are a type of dry terrain where softer sedimentary rocks and clay-rich soils have been extensively eroded."Badlands" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 47. They are characterized by steep slopes, mi ...

" and " The Promised Land". '' The River'' saw Clemons featured on songs such as " The Ties That Bind", "Sherry Darling", "I Wanna Marry You", "Drive All Night" and "

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Many ...

" while '' Born in the U.S.A.'' saw solos on " Bobby Jean" and " I'm Goin' Down". Springsteen and other members of the band referred to Clemons as "The Big Man". At the end of shows, while recognizing members of the E Street Band, Springsteen referred to Clemons as "The Biggest Man You Ever Seen". He sometimes changed this depending on where the E Street Band performs — at their 2009 concert in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popu ...

he introduced Clemons as "the biggest

Scotsman The Scots ( sco, Scots Fowk; gd, Albannaich) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland. Historically, they emerged in the early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic-speaking peoples, the Picts and Gaels, who fou ...

you've ever seen". In April 2014, the E Street Band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Clemons' widow accepted on his behalf.

Solo career

Outside of his work with the E Street Band, Clemons recorded with many other artists and had a number of musical projects on his own. The best known of these are his 1985 vocal duet with

on the Top-20 hit single "

", and his saxophone work on

's 1985 Top-10 hit single "

". He was managed briefly in the 1980s by former

Crawdaddy The Crawdaddy Club was a music venue in Richmond, Surrey, England, which opened in 1963. The Rolling Stones were its house band in its first year and were followed by The Yardbirds. Several other notable British blues and rhythm and blues acts a ...

editor

Peter Knobler Peter Knobler (born 1946) is an American writer living in New York City. He has collaborated on fifteen books, ten of them best sellers and was the editor-in-chief of ''Crawdaddy'' magazine from 1972 to 1979.Red Bank, New Jersey Red Bank is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. Incorporated in 1908, the community is on the Navesink River, the area's original transportation route to the ocean and other ports. Red Bank is in the New York Metropolitan ...

, nightclub called Big Man's West. He toured in the first incarnation of Ringo Starr & The All-Starr Band in 1989, singing "You're a Friend of Mine" (dueting with

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

) and an updated rap arrangement of "Quarter to Three." In the late 1980s, he developed a friendship with

Jerry Garcia Jerome John Garcia (August 1, 1942 – August 9, 1995) was an American musician best known for being the principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and a vocalist with the rock band Grateful Dead, which he co-founded and which came to prominence ...

and played a number of concerts with the

Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...

, including notable appearances during their New Year's Eve concert in 1988, an

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ma ...

benefit concert in May 1989, and a live pay-per-view broadcast of their summer solstice concert on June 21, 1989. Clemons also did a tour with the

Jerry Garcia Band The Jerry Garcia Band was a San Francisco Bay Area rock band led by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. Garcia founded the band in 1975; it remained the most important of his various side projects until his death in 1995. The band regularly tour ...

. One of these performances, from September 16, 1989 was officially released in 2020 as 'GarciaLive 13' In the mid-1990s, he recorded a Japan-only CD release called ''Aja and the Big Man "Get It On"'' with Los Angeles singer/songwriter

Aja Kim Aja Kim is an American singer and songwriter. Biography Born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Aja Kim first came to public attention when she collaborated with rock and roll saxophonist, Clarence Clemon ...

. In 1992 he was involved in the sessions for the album Zoom by

Alvin Lee Alvin Lee (born Graham Anthony Barnes; 19 December 1944 – 6 March 2013) was an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known as the lead vocalist and lead guitarist of the blues rock band Ten Years After. Early life He w ...

. At this time he also recorded an instrumental record with

Alan Niven Alan Niven is a New Zealand-born band manager best known for his tenure as manager of Guns N' Roses and Great White. Biography Niven became the manager of Guns N' Roses, serving from 1986 to 1991. He was fired from his post just prior to the ...

producing, ''Peacemaker''. In the 2000s, Clemons along with producer Narada Michael Walden, put together a group called The Temple of Soul, releasing a single called "Anna". He also recorded with philanthropic teen band

Creation Creation may refer to: Religion *''Creatio ex nihilo'', the concept that matter was created by God out of nothing *Creation myth, a religious story of the origin of the world and how people first came to inhabit it *Creationism, the belief that ...

. Clemons collaborated with

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

on the songs "

Hair Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and fi ...

" and "

The Edge of Glory "The Edge of Glory" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her second studio album, '' Born This Way'' (2011). The song was released on May 9, 2011, as the album's third single. Initially released as one of two promotional singles for ''Bor ...

" from her album '' Born This Way'', providing a saxophone track and solo. In April 2011, Clemons sat in on several tunes with the Grateful Dead "spinoff" band Furthur during a concert in

Boca Raton Boca Raton ( ; es, Boca Ratón, link=no, ) is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924, as "Bocaratone," and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" in 1925. The population was 97,422 in the ...

, Florida. Just days before he suffered a major stroke, he shot a music video with Lady Gaga for "

Acting career

Clemons appeared in several movies and on television, making his screen debut in

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...

's musical 1977 musical film ''

'', in which he played a trumpet player. He played one of the 'Three Most Important People In The World' in the 1989 comedy film ''

''. In 1985, Clemons was a special guest star in ''

'' episode "So You Want to Be a Rock Star", in which he played the role of Mr. Kingsley, a young saxophonist helping Arnold Jackson to learn to play his sax. He was also a guest voice in a 1999 episode of ''

''. In 1990, he co-starred in the pilot episode of ''

Human Target The Human Target is the name of two fictional characters in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first is Fred Venable, while the second is private investigator and bodyguard Christopher Chance who assumes the identities of clients tar ...

'', a

Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debut ...

action series intended for ABC. 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 Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in ''Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in ''T ...

and David Bowe as a miner in one episode of musician

"Weird Al" Yankovic Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specific ...

children's television Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...

show ''

The Weird Al Show ''The Weird Al Show'' is an American television show hosted by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Produced in association with Dick Clark Productions and taped at NBC Studios, it aired on Saturday mornings on the CBS TV network. The show ran for one season, ...

''. He made a cameo appearance in the sequel to ''

The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers are an American blues and soul revivalist band founded in 1978 by comedians Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi as part of a musical sketch on ''Saturday Night Live''. Belushi and Aykroyd fronted the band, in character, respecti ...

'', ''

Blues Brothers 2000 ''Blues Brothers 2000'' is a 1998 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis from a screenplay written by Landis and Dan Aykroyd, both of whom were also producers. The film, starring Aykroyd and John Goodman, is a sequel to the 1980 fi ...

'' (1999), as part of the metal section of super blues band The Louisiana Gator Boys. He appeared in the episode "Michael's Band" of

Damon Wayans Damon Kyle Wayans Sr. (; born September 4, 1960) is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. Wayans performed as a comedian and actor throughout the 1980s, including a year long stint on the sketch comedy series ''Saturday Night Live.' ...

' television show ''

'' 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 the HBO crime drama ''

''. He appeared in an episode of '' Brothers'' and in the "Eddie's Book" episode of ''

'Til Death ''Til Death'' is an American sitcom which aired on the Fox network from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband and wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive producers. The ...

'' as himself.

Other work

Clemons published ''Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales'' (2009) with his friend

. It is a semi-fictional autobiography told in the third person.

Personal life

Married five times, Clemons fathered four sons: Charles, Christopher, Jarod, and Clarence III (known as

Nick Nick may refer to: * Nick (given name) * A cricket term for a slight deviation of the ball off the edge of the bat * British slang for being arrested * British slang for a police station * British slang for stealing * Short for nickname Place ...

). His nephew, Jake Clemons, was introduced as the new saxophone player of the E Street Band in 2012 after Clemons' death. He lived in Florida where he became involved with charitable organizations. Clemons was associated with spiritual guru

Sri Chinmoy Chinmoy Kumar Ghose (27 August 1931 – 11 October 2007), better known as Sri Chinmoy, was an Indian spiritual leader who taught meditation in the West after moving to New York City in 1964. Clemons died of complications from a stroke on June 18, 2011. Clemons suffered a massive stroke at his home in Florida, on June 12. While initial signs had been hopeful after his hospitalization and two subsequent brain surgeries, he took a turn for the worse later in the week and died on June 18. He was 69. Upon announcement of Clemons' death, New Jersey Governor

Chris Christie Christopher James Christie (born September 6, 1962) is an American politician, lawyer, political commentator, lobbyist, and former federal prosecutor who served as the 55th governor of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Christie, who was born in N ...

ordered state flags to be lowered to half staff in his honor. He was survived by his four sons, Nick, Charles, Christopher, Jarod; his younger brother William Melvon Clemons, Sr. (1946–2014); and his fifth wife, Victoria, whom he had married in 2008.

Tributes and legacy

Springsteen said of Clemons: At their concert in

Portsmouth, Virginia Portsmouth is an independent city in southeast Virginia and across the Elizabeth River from Norfolk. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,915. It is part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. The Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Naval M ...

, on June 19, 2011,

Phish Phish is an American rock band formed in Burlington, Vermont, in 1983. The band is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, blending of genres, and a dedicated fan base. The band consists of guitarist Trey Anastasio, bassist Mike G ...

covered " Thunder Road" as a tribute to Clemons. At an

Eddie Vedder Eddie Jerome Vedder (born Edward Louis Severson III; December 23, 1964) is an American singer, musician, and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist and one of four guitarists of the rock band Pearl Jam. He also appeared as a guest vocalist i ...

concert in

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since t ...

, on June 18, 2011, upon hearing of Clemons' health struggles, Vedder wished Clemons well, and Vedder was soon notified by a sound tech that Clemons had died. Vedder later played a tribute to Clemons during the

Pearl Jam Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...

song " Better Man", changing the lyrics to include, "Can't find a Bigger Man" (paying homage to Clemons' nickname "The Big Man"). During a subsequent performance on the ''

Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by Letterman's production ...

'', Vedder played a

ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...

with "Clarence" written across the front of it. Before singing " Moment of Surrender" at the U2 concert in Anaheim on June 18, 2011,

Bono Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2. Born and raised in Dublin, he attended ...

paid tribute to Clemons. He read lyrics from Springsteen's "

" near the end of the song, and repeated them at the song's conclusion. Bono repeated this dedication and tribute during "Moment of Surrender" at the U2 concert in New Jersey on June 21 and again in Baltimore on June 22.

Bon Jovi Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey. It consists of singer Jon Bon Jovi, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Original bassist Alec John such qu ...

performed " Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" as the first encore during their concert in Horsens on June 19, 2011. While playing that song, photos of Clemons were shown on the giant video screen behind the band.

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffe ...

added verses that included Clemons in "The Stories We Could Tell" during his final encore during his concert on June 21, 2011. The rest of the band left the stage and it was Buffett playing and singing alone. During The Gaslight Anthem's set at the

2011 Glastonbury Festival The 2011 Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts was held from 22–26 June 2011. Tickets for the festival went on sale from 9 am on Sunday 3 October 2010, over 37 weeks before the festival was set to begin, with a deposit of £50 b ...

, frontman

Brian Fallon Brian Fallon (born January 28, 1980) is an American musician, singer and songwriter. He is best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and main lyricist of the rock band the Gaslight Anthem, with whom he has recorded five studio albums. H ...

dedicated their song "

The '59 Sound ''The '59 Sound'' is the second studio album by American punk rock band the Gaslight Anthem, released on August 19, 2008, by record label SideOneDummy. In December 2008, eMusic named ''The '59 Sound'' the best album of 2008. ''NME'' rated it as ...

" to Clemons. On July 17, 2011, a tribute concert was held at the Wonder Bar in

. Springsteen performed a 45-minute set playing some of Clemons' songs. Clemons' son, Clarence III, (known as

), opened the show with his band, The Nick Clemons Band. On October 1, 2011, a tribute to Clemons took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in

Hollywood, Florida Hollywood is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States, located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami. As of July 1, 2019, Hollywood had a population of 154,817. Founded in 1925, the city grew rapidly in the 1950s and 1960s, and is no ...

. Traditionally an annual charity event hosted by Clemons called The Classic Rock & Roll Party, the event paid tribute to Clemons' life and all he did for Home Safe, a non-profit organization helping victims of child abuse and domestic violence. In January 2012, Clemons' hometown paid tribute with memorial concerts featuring members of the E Street Band. The concert took place at

The NorVa The NorVa is a performing venue located in Norfolk, Virginia, the name being a syllabic abbreviation of the city and state of its location. About The theatre was the brainchild of local music venue entrepreneurs Bill Reid and Rick Mersel, who h ...

concert hall. In October 2011,

paid tribute to him when she accepted the "Big Man of the Year" from

Little Kids Rock Music Will, formerly known as Little Kids Rock (LKR), is a nonprofit charity based in Montclair, New Jersey, that encourages and enables children to play popular music. It provides free music instruction and instruments to public school districts ...

. In a June 21, 2012, concert in Sydney, Australia, Gaga dedicated her song "

" in which Clemons had contributed. On July 28, 2012, in

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

, Springsteen and the E Street Band performed "Jungleland" for the first time on the

Wrecking Ball World Tour The Wrecking Ball World Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band to promote Springsteen's seventeenth studio album, ''Wrecking Ball'', which was released on March 5, 2012. It was the first tour for the E Street Band wit ...

, with Clemons' nephew Jake Clemons playing the saxophone solo and the song being dedicated to Clemons.

Discography

* Clarence Clemons & the Red Bank Rockers ** ''Rescue'' (1983) * Clarence Clemons ** ''

Hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...

'' (1985) ** ''A Night With Mr. C'' (1989) ** ''Peacemaker'' (1995) * Aja and the Big Man ** ''Get It On'' (1995) * Clarence Clemons & Temple of Soul ** ''

Live in Asbury Park ''Live in Asbury Park'' is a Clarence Clemons and Temple of Soul album that was recorded live at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey on September 2–3, 2001. Track listing # "Washington Bond" – Clarence Clemons, Jimmy Dillon, Dan Shea (r ...

'' (2002) ** ''

Live in Asbury Park, Vol. 2 ''Live in Asbury Park, Vol. 2'' is a Clarence Clemons and Temple of Soul album that was recorded live at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, New Jersey on September 2–3, 2001. The album features a guest performance by Bruce Springsteen on lead voc ...

'' (2004) ** ''Brothers in Arms'' (2008) * Bruce Springsteen ** ''

'' (1973) ** ''

The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle ''The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle'' is the second studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. It was recorded by Springsteen with the E Street Band at 914 Sound Studios, Blauvelt, New York, and released on N ...

'' (1973) ** ''

'' (1975) ** ''

'' (1978) ** '' The River'' (1980) ** '' Born in the U.S.A.'' (1984) ** '' Live/1975–85'' (1986) ** '' Tunnel of Love'' (1987) ** '' Chimes of Freedom'' (1988) ** ''

Greatest Hits A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...

'' (1995) ** '' Blood Brothers'' (1996) ** '' Tracks'' (1998) ** ''

18 Tracks ''18 Tracks'' is an album by Bruce Springsteen, released in 1999. All but three selections had been on the boxed set '' Tracks'', released six months before. This single album was intended to capture more casual fans, and thus was oriented towar ...

'' (1999) ** '' Live in New York City'' (2001) ** '' The Rising'' (2002) ** ''

The Essential Bruce Springsteen ''The Essential Bruce Springsteen'' is a compilation album by Bruce Springsteen, released on November 11, 2003. The collection is part of a series of ''Essential'' sets released by Sony BMG (previously Sony Music Entertainment). It includes songs ...

'' (2003) ** ''

Hammersmith Odeon London '75 ''Hammersmith Odeon, London '75'' is a concert video and the fourth live album by Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, released in 2006. It is a full-length recording of their performance on November 18, 1975, at the Hammersmith Odeon in ...

'' (2006) ** '' Magic'' (2007) ** ''

Magic Tour Highlights ''Magic Tour Highlights'' is an EP by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which consists of four live audio tracks and their accompanying videos, and was released for digital download on July 15, 2008. The performances were recorded durin ...

'' (2008) ** '' Working on a Dream'' (2009) ** '' The Promise'' (2010) ** ''

Wrecking Ball A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball. An e ...

'' (2012) ** '' High Hopes'' (2014) * Gary U.S. Bonds ** ''

Dedication Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church, or other sacred building. Feast of Dedication The Feast of Dedication, today Hanukkah, once also called "Feast of the Maccabees," is a Jewish festival observed for eight days f ...

'' (1981) ** '' On the Line'' (1982) * Lady Gaga ** '' Born This Way'' (2011) * Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band ** '' Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band'' (1990) * Zucchero ** ''Blues'' (1987) ** ''

Oro Incenso & Birra ''Oro Incenso & Birra'' (Gold, Frankincense & Beer) is the fifth studio album released by the Italian singer-songwriter Zucchero Fornaciari on 13 June 1989. As with his previous album ''Blue's'', the album is credited to "Zucchero Sugar Fornaciar ...

'' (1989) ** ''Zucchero'' (1991) ** ''Diamante'' (1994) ** ''Spirito Divino'' (1995) * Selected others **

Dan Hartman Daniel Earl Hartman (December 8, 1950 – March 22, 1994) was an American rock musician, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Among songs he wrote and recorded were " Free Ride" as a member of the Edgar Winter Group, and the solo hits ...

: ''Images'' (1976) ** Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes: ''I Don't Wanna Go Home'' (1976) **

Pezband Pezband was an American power pop band, formed in 1971 in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, United States. The ensemble began in the fall of 1971 when four Oak Park musicians teamed up to jam on covers of songs by The Yardbirds, Kinks a ...

: ''Pezband'' (1977) **

Ronnie Spector Veronica Yvette Greenfield (; August 10, 1943 – January 12, 2022) was an American singer who co-founded and fronted the girl group The Ronettes. She is sometimes referred to as the original "bad girl of rock and roll". Ronnie formed the ...

: "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" / "Baby, Please Don't Go" (1977) ** Scarlet Rivera: ''Scarlet Rivera'' (1977) **

Intergalactic Touring Band The Intergalactic Touring Band (IGTB) was not an actual music group but rather a science fiction pop music concept album released in 1977 by the now defunct Passport Records in America and Charisma Records in England. The ensemble album featu ...

: ''Intergalactic Touring Band'' (1977) **

Carlene Carter Carlene Carter (born Rebecca Carlene Smith; September 26, 1955) is an American country music singer and songwriter. She is the daughter of June Carter Cash and her first husband, Carl Smith. As of 2020, since 1978, Carter has recorded 12 alb ...

: ''Two Sides to Every Woman'' (1979) **

Janis Ian Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter who was most commercially successful in the 1960s and 1970s. Her signature songs are the 1966/67 hit "Society's Child, Society's Child (Baby I've Been Thinking)" an ...

: ''Night Rains'' (1979) **

Musicians United for Safe Energy Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall. The group advocates against the use of nuclear energy, forming shortly after the Th ...

: ''

No Nukes Musicians United for Safe Energy, or MUSE, is an activist group founded in 1979 by Jackson Browne, Graham Nash, Bonnie Raitt, Harvey Wasserman and John Hall. The group advocates against the use of nuclear energy, forming shortly after the Th ...

'' (1979) ** Michael Stanley Band: ''Heartland'' (1980) **

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (, born 9 December 1950) is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She received ...

: ''

Me Myself I ''Me Myself I'' is the sixth studio album by British recording artist Joan Armatrading. Released in May 1980, the album was Armatrading's highest ever chart placing both in the UK (number 5) and in the US (number 28). In Australia, the album ...

'' (1980) ** Various artists: ''

In Harmony 2 ''In Harmony: A Sesame Street Record'' and ''In Harmony 2'' are two compilation albums of children's music performed by various artists, released in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Of the two albums, only the first album charted, reaching No. 156 ...

'' (1981) **

Greg Lake Gregory Stuart Lake (10 November 1947 – 7 December 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Born and ...

: ''

'' (1981) ** Schwartz: ''Schwartz'' (1981) ** Blue Steel: ''Nothing But Time'' (1981) ** Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul: '' Men Without Women'' (1982) **

Hawks Hawks are birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. This subfamily ...

: ''30 Seconds Over Otho'' (1982) ** Ian Hunter: ''

All of the Good Ones Are Taken ''All of the Good Ones Are Taken'' is the sixth solo studio album of Ian Hunter. The album contains a mix of several styles. Longtime collaborator Mick Ronson was mostly absent (he only played guitar on one track), because he was seriously ...

'' (1983) ** Steel Breeze: ''Heart on the Line'' (1983) **

Silver Condor The Argentine Film Critics Association ( es, Asociación de Cronistas Cinematográficos de la Argentina) is an organization of Argentine-based journalists and correspondents. The association presents the ''Silver Condor Awards'' (''Premios Cóndor ...

: ''Trouble At Home'' (1983) **

Michael Stanley Michael Stanley (born Michael Stanley Gee; March 25, 1948 – March 5, 2021) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, radio and television personality. Both as a solo artist and with the Michael Stanley Band (MSB), his brand of heartland r ...

: ''Poor Side of Town'' (1984) **

: ''

Who's Zoomin' Who? ''Who's Zoomin' Who?'' is the thirtieth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on July 9, 1985, by Arista Records. A departure from the Luther Vandross-produced adult contemporary sound of her previous albums '' Jump to It'' ...

'' (1985) **

Twisted Sister Twisted Sister was an American heavy metal band originally from Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey, and later based on Long Island, New York. Their best-known songs include " We're Not Gonna Take It" and " I Wanna Rock", both of which were associated with ...

: '' Come Out and Play'' (1985) ** Soundtrack: '' Porky's Revenge'' (1985) **

Artists United Against Apartheid Artists United Against Apartheid was a 1985 protest group founded by activist and performer Steven Van Zandt and record producer Arthur Baker to protest against apartheid in South Africa. The group produced the song " Sun City" and the album ' ...

: '' Sun City'' (1986) ** Jersey Artists For Mankind: "We've Got The Love" / "Save Love, Save Life" (1986) **

Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has bee ...

: '' Let It Loose'' (1987) ** Various artists: '' A Very Special Christmas'' (1987) **

Narada Michael Walden Narada Michael Walden ( ; Michael Walden; born April 23, 1952) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He acquired the nickname Narada from Sri Chinmoy. He began his career as a drummer, working primarily in the jaz ...

: ''Divine Emotions'' (1988) **

The Four Tops ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...

: ''Indestructible'' (1988) **

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

: ''

Nearly Human ''Nearly Human'' is a 1989 album by the rock musician Todd Rundgren, released by Warner Bros. Records. It was his first release in four years, although he had been active as a producer in the intervening years. Many of the album's songs deal with l ...

'' (1989) **

Herman Brood Hermanus "Herman" Brood (; 5 November 1946 – 11 July 2001) was a Dutch musician, painter, actor and poet. As a musician he achieved artistic and commercial success in the 1970s and 1980s, and was called "the greatest and only Dutch rock 'n' ...

: ''Freeze'' (1990) ** Soundtrack: '' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'' (soundtrack) (1992) ** Lisa Stansfield et al.: '' Swing – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' (1999) **

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

: '' Unchain My Heart'' (1990) **

Peter Maffay Peter Alexander Makkay (born 30 August 1949), known as Peter Maffay (), is a Romanian-born German musician, singer, and composer. Early life Born in Braşov (german: link=no, Kronstadt), Romania, the son of a German (Transylvanian Saxon), h ...

: ''38317'' (1991) **

Nils Lofgren Nils Hilmer Lofgren (born June 21, 1951) is an American rock musician, recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Along with his work as a solo artist, he has been a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band since 1984, a memb ...

: ''Silver Lining'' (1991) **

: ''Zoom'' (1992) **

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and musician known for his impassioned singing style, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. His music was described by critics as ...

: ''

King of Hearts The king of hearts is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck. King of Hearts may also refer to: Games * The King of Hearts Has Five Sons, card game that may have been a precursor to Cluedo Books * King of Hearts (''Alice's Adventures ...

'' (1992) **

Jim Carroll James Dennis Carroll (August 1, 1949 – September 11, 2009) was an American author, poet, autobiographer, and punk musician. Carroll was best known for his 1978 autobiographical work '' The Basketball Diaries'', which inspired a 1995 film of ...

: ''A World Without Gravity: Best of The Jim Carroll Band'' (1993) **

Dave Koz David Stephen Koz (born March 27, 1963) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, record producer, and radio personality based in California. Early life Dave Koz was born in Encino, California, to Jewish parents: Norman, a dermatologis ...

: ''Lucky Man'' (1993) **

Great White Great White is an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1977. The band peaked with several albums during the mid-to-late 1980s, including the platinum-selling records ''Once Bitten'' (1987) and '' ...Twice Shy'' (1989), and those albums ...

: '' Sail Away'' (1994) **

Luther Vandross Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005) was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. Known for his sweet and soulful vocals, Vandross has sold over 40 million records worldwide. He achieved eleven consecutive P ...

: '' This is Christmas'' (1995) ** Craig and Co.: ''My Newish Jewish Discovery'' (1997) ** Various artists: '' Humanary Stew – A Tribute to Alice Cooper'' (1999) ** Nick Clemons Band: ''In the Sunlight'' (2001) **

: ''World Without Windows'' (2005) ** Bruce Benson: ''A Healing Prayer'' (2007) ** Tyrone Ashley's Funky Music Machine: ''Let Me Be Your Man'' (2007) ** Stormin' Norman & Friends: ''Asbury Park — Then And Now'' (2008) **

: "The Edge of Glory" (2011) **

: "Hair" (2011) **

: '' Garcia Live Volume 13'' (2020)

Filmography

Film

* ''

'' (1977) ** Cecil Powell * ''

'' (1989) ** One of the Three Most Important People in the World * ''

Fatal Instinct ''Fatal Instinct'' is a 1993 American sex comedy thriller film directed by Carl Reiner. A parody of the erotic thriller genre, which at the time had reached its commercial peak, as well as being a pastiche of 1940s film noir and psychological t ...

'' (1993) ** Clarence * ''

'' (1998) ** The Louisiana Gator Boys * ''

Swing Swing or swinging may refer to: Apparatus * Swing (seat), a hanging seat that swings back and forth * Pendulum, an object that swings * Russian swing, a swing-like circus apparatus * Sex swing, a type of harness for sexual intercourse * Swing ri ...

'' (1999) ** Jack

Television

* ''

'' ** Mr. Kingsley: " So You Want to Be a Rock Star" (1985) * ''

Jake and the Fatman ''Jake and the Fatman'' is an American crime drama television series starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. (Jason Lochinvar) "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from Septemb ...

'' ** Blue Danny Boyd: " Why Can't You Behave?" (1989) * ''

The Flash The Flash (or simply Flash) is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in ''Flash Comics'' #1 (cover date ...

'' (1990) ** Darrell Hennings: "Honor Among Thieves" (1990) * ''

'' ** Big Barry in three episodes : "25 Hours of Christmas", "Aloha Nash" and "Javelin Catcher" (1996) * '' The Sentinel'' ** Workman: "Dead Drop" (1997) * ''

'' ** Miner: "Mining Accident" (1997) * '' Viper'' ** Leo Duquesne: "The Getaway" (1998) * '' Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular'' ** one episode (1998) * ''

'' ** Narrator: "

Grift of the Magi "Grift of the Magi" is the ninth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. Being the final episode to air in the 1990s, it originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on December 19 ...

" (1999) * ''

'' ** Johnny Watson: "Micheal's Band" (2003) * ''

'' ** Roman: "

Moral Midgetry "Moral Midgetry" is the eighth episode of the third season of the HBO original series ''The Wire''. The episode was written by Richard Price from a story by David Simon & Richard Price and was directed by Agnieszka Holland. It originally aired on N ...

" and " Hamsterdam" (2004) * ''

'' ** Himself : "Eddie's Book" (2009)

Music videos

* "

" With

(1985) * "

" by

(2011)

References

Life Life is a quality that distinguishes matter that has biological processes, such as signaling and self-sustaining processes, from that which does not, and is defined by the capacity for growth, reaction to stimuli, metabolism, energy ...

'' *
"Remembering Springsteen's Saxman, Clarence Clemons"
''

On Point ''On Point'' is a radio show produced by WBUR-FM in Boston and syndicated by American Public Media (APM). The show addresses a wide range of issues from news, politics, arts and culture, health, technology, environmental, and business topics, t ...

'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Clemons, Clarence 1942 births 2011 deaths African-American players of American football African-American rock musicians American rock saxophonists American male saxophonists Grateful Dead Jersey Shore musicians Maryland Eastern Shore Hawks football players Musicians from New Jersey Musicians from Norfolk, Virginia Players of American football from Norfolk, Virginia E Street Band members American session musicians American male actors Southern Baptists Rhythm and blues saxophonists Actors from Norfolk, Virginia Baptists from Virginia Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members

Early life

Solo career

Acting career

Other work

Personal life

Tributes and legacy

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television

Music videos

See also

References

External links