I heard that Clarence Clemons had died while at The Mercury Lounge Saturday night, right after the early show had finished.  Although it was a shock, it was not unexpected given what I had heard about his stroke earlier this week.  Clarence had been part of my musical world since Bruce Springsteen‘s Greetings From Asbury Park, NJ was released (which is close to 40 years ago now).

The New York Times has a pretty comprehensive obit here which will give you the facts of Clarence’s life.  But facts are one thing, the music is another.  So musically, when I think of Clarence, the first song I remember is the version of Kitty’s Back from The Wild, The Innocent and The E Street Shuffle.  The sax solo at the end was amazingly long; it seemed that Clarence didn’t need to breathe.

So I’ll say goodbye to Clarence with a video of that song from a live performance in early 1974.  I’ve posted it at Now I’ve Heard Everything, click here to see it.

–Eliot Wagner