It's hard to figure out how exactly to pay tribute to someone who has given you a laundry list of great music and concert memories, as Clarence Clemons did.
As every obituary and tribute will note, his contribution to the E Street Band and popular music are innumerable. Songs like Badlands, Born to Run, Jungleland, Darlington County, You'll be Comin' Down, Spirit in the Night, Bobby Jean and so many many more, just would not be what they are without his Stax style saxophone playing. But then you would hear Secret Garden or the live version of If I Should Fall Behind from the Reunion Tour and you could hear that he had a tender and controlled style also.
As there were many blessings in seeing Bruce and the E Street Band many times, there was also the reality of sometimes taking for granted seeing them so much. Luckily I would try to catch myself on such occasions and try to remember how lucky I actually was.
Lucky to have seen Mr. Clemons many times, and probably luckier to have met him, he will be sorely missed, and my favorite music will never sound the same again.
Here is a long list of the moments which stand out as the most memorable in the times I was able to see Mr. Clemons perform.
1) 8/21/1985 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey: Seeing Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band for the first time.
2) 9/19/1988 JFK Stadium, Philadelphia, PA.: Seeing Bruce & the Band for only my second time. Being mesmerized by an amazingly powerful Jungleland at the Human Rights Now! concert.
3) 8/11/1989 Garden State Arts Center (now the PNC Bank Arts Center), Holmdel, New Jersey: Seeing Clarence as part of Ringo Starr's All Starr Band. Beside the thrill of seeing him perform with a Beatle, Clarence's highlights were a beautiful solo during The Weight and performing Friend of Mine with Billy Preston.
4) 2/9 & 10/ 1990 Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey: Seeing Clarence and a new version of the Red Bank Rockers. Highlight's were opening with the majestic Summer on Signal Hill and also Paradise By the C. J.T. Bowen guested on Savin' Up and Woman's Got the Power.
5) 10/20/1990 Brendan Byrne Arena(now the Izod Center), East Rutherford New Jersey: Seeing Clarence as one of the Asbury Park All Stars, along with Max Weinberg, Gary Tallent and Danny Federici, playing with Southside Johnny & the Jukes as part of a Bill Bradley benefit concert. Highlight was his classic solo on The Fever.
6) 1/31/1998 Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank New Jersey: Clarence was one of numerous Jersey artists participating in the Patrick King Benefit concert. Some of the many highlights, in a show that was one big highlight, were his entrance during 10th Avenue Freeze Out, a great solo during Rockin' All Over the World, and the best live version of Born to Run that I had heard up to that point. Also great because at the time it was not known if Bruce and the E Street Band would ever play together again, and the bulk of the band played this night. I was so happy that my now wife got to see the bulk of the E Street Band on stage together along with most of Bon Jovi and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
7) 3/18/1999 Convention Hall Asbury Park, New Jersey: Bruce and the band perform the first of two rehearsal shows for the Reunion Tour. A beautiful version of If I Should Fall Behind which included the best vocals I have heard from Clarence, and a giant hug to Bruce at the concerts end.
8) 7/18/1999 Continental Airlines Arena(Now the Izod Center) East Rutherford, New Jersey:
Second of 15 shows at the arena. First time ever hearing Clarence do the killer Sherry Darling solo live.
9) 8/11/1999 Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey: Night 14 of 15. First ever seeing Night live. First and only time seeing New York City Serenade live. First time seeing the whole band do 4th of July Asbury Park (Sandy) live.
10) 8/12/1999 Continental Airlines Arena East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final Night of 15 shows at the Meadowlands. After Clarence's classic solo during Badlands, the screens were filled with a beautiful shot of Bruce and Clarence next to each other looking out at the audience. A classic image.
11) 7/1/2000 Madison Square Garden, New York: Final night of the Reunion Tour. During final song Blood Brothers, Clarence can be seen with tears in his eyes.
12) 12/17/2000 Convention Hall, Asbury Park, New Jersey: First of 2 Holiday Shows that Bruce will do in Asbury Park with the Max Weinberg 7. During his first performance of Kitty's Back in many many years, Clarence enters the stage as Bruce sings Who's That Coming Down the Alley. The audience went crazy. Another great moment was when Bruce and Clarence came downstage together during So Young and in Love. For a brief moment it was 1978.
13) 9/2/2001 Stone Pony, Asbury Park, New Jersey: During his final show at the Stone Pony that weekend, he informs the audience that there is a bomb threat and we must exit the Pony Summer Stage. When the show resumes, he performs Sherry Darling. Not so much a great moment as a memorable one.
14) 10/13/2004 Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final stop on the Vote For Change tour. Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performs Better Man, and Clarence gets a great solo in.
15) 10/9/2009 Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey: Final time I will see Clarence perform. Last time I will ever see him perform Badlands, Born to Run, Promised Land, Jersey Girl, Spirit in the Night, Bobby Jean, I'm Goin' Down, Long Walk Home, Kitty's Back and many many more.
I hope the Big Man knows that he gave many people memories that will mean even more to them as each year passes. Rest in Peace.
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