Yesterday, a memorial service was held in Palm Beach, Florida for beloved saxophonist Clarence Clemons. The 69-year-old, best known for his work with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, died on Saturday after complications from a stroke, and the Boss told the mourners, "Clarence was a man of unconditional love, but his love came with a lot of conditions... He was a complex guy … an ongoing project. But when you were in his presence, it was like being in a sovereign nation."
Springsteen had said in a statement on his website, "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."
The Palm Beach Daily News reports, "As last wishes go, Clarence Clemons’ was a doozy. He asked Victoria, his titian-haired fifth wife, to scatter his ashes at a cherished spot in Hawaii and to do so with 'all of the special women in his life' - including his previous wives." And Victoria Clemons promised she would.
The private service also included performances by Springsteen—who played "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"—Jackson Browne and the rest of the E Street Band. Fun fact: One of the attendees was Eric Meola, the photographer of the iconic Born to Run album cover that featured Clemons and Springsteen—here are his photos from the Born to Run photo session.
