R.I.P. Clarence....

The country lost a tremendous musician this past weekend, when Clarence Clemons passed away due to complications from a stroke he had suffered last Sunday.  For those of you who may not know, Clarence Clemons was an accomplished saxophone player, best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.  He was 69 years old and had suffered from "numerous ailments" over the past several years, even having to perform from a wheelchair after a double knee surgery.  

Since I heard about his stroke last Monday, I have been running to the sounds of the E Street band in the background. (I actually already run to the sounds of the E Street band on a regular basis, but this was more intentional.) I am a huge and long time fan.  In college, my boyfriend and I were lucky enough to get backstage passes to "The Rising" tour concert in Greensboro, NC, and that was the first time I saw Clarence Clemons in real-life.  At 6'4" he was already towering twelve inches over me, but in addition to that, he was walking up a high-incline treadmill, which made him that much taller and intimidating.  He nodded hello as we walked past (gaping at him like the awestruck fans that we were) and I almost peed my pants with excitement!

I have seen him perform with the E Street Band twice since then, and both were spectacular shows. It's very sad that he's gone.  In a statement following news of Clemons' death, Springsteen said:

"Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. 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. He was my great friend, my partner and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band."