Saw that someone named Ant Clemons is performing with Justin Timberlake tonight. Never heard of him, but he’s from New Jersey. Surely as a Jersey Clemons he must be related? Couldn’t find anything on his Wikipedia or Google, but he must be?
On a Wire rewatch and just realized The Big Man himself, Clarence Clemons appears in season 3.
Just reading about the history, I'm sure there's a long list of reasons; it was Bruce and Clarence who made the iconic cover of "Born to Run". He was referenced in "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out" ("When the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band"), essentially marking his joining as a major transition.
In concerts, Clarence was often introduced last in performances to the loudest applause. On many Springsteen songs, it was his saxophone solos that were considered one of, if not the most memorable part.
But maybe I'm only scratching the surface. How would you describe Clarence's importance?
My wife and I were able to catch the Clarence documentary today. It was pretty interesting. There’s no interview with Bruce and the film focuses mostly on how he grew up, his time outside of E Street and his spiritual trip to China. The people interviewed are mostly old childhood friends, Temple of Soul band members, Bill Clinton and family members (including Jake Clemons). Clarence does narrate much of this film, which was nice to see/hear.
If it’s playing in your area, it’s worth checking out.
