A Sad Day In The World Of Music

New Jersey.com posted an aritlce today about the death of Clarence Clemons yesterday.  Mr. Clemons was an amazing musician and he will be greatly missed. 

Clarence Clemons was 69 and died due to complications from the stroke he suffered on June 12. 

The article reports:

“”Clarence Clemons represented the soul and spirit of New Jersey,” said Gov. Chris Christie, in a statement. “His partnership with Bruce Springsteen and the rest of the E Street Band brought great pride to our state and joy to every fan of this music around the world.

“”On a personal note, when I heard about the Big Man’s passing on Saturday night, I was struck with an overwhelming feeling that the days of my youth were now finally over.””

I spent my teenage years in New Jersey at a time when Asbury Park was still a place you took the family for a seaside dinner.  The music scene had not yet developed, and the boardwalk was a place of rides and pinball machines.  In his music, Bruce Springsteen captured the changes that took place on the New Jersey shore in the 1970’s, and Clarence Clemons was an important part of that music. 

The article concludes:

“Life does go on, and the band may live to rock another day. But it would be a different band — with the same name, maybe, but a different sound, and a different personality.

“The E Street Band may eventually present joyful shows again. But there will be an inescapable sadness whenever your eyes wander to the part of the stage where Clemons always stood. The Big Man’s stamp was simply that big.”

Clarence Clemons, you will be sorely missed.  Rest in peace.