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Clarence Anicholas Clemons, Jr. (January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011), also known as The Big Man, was an American saxophonist, musician and actor. He was reported to be 6' 5" (195.5 cm) tall, hence his nickname. From 1972 until his death, he was a prominent member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, playing the tenor saxophone.〔Ben Sisario (June 18, 2011). ("Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's Soulful Sideman, Dies at 69" ). ''The New York Times'', A24. Retrieved July 1, 2011.〕〔Jon Pareles (June 19, 2011). ("The Big Man, Much More Than Springsteen's Sideman" ). ''The New York Times'', C1. Retrieved July 1, 2011.〕 He released several solo albums and in 1985, had a hit single with "You're a Friend of Mine," a duet with Jackson Browne. As a guest musician he also featured on Aretha Franklin's classic "Freeway of Love" and on Twisted Sister's "Be Chrool to Your Scuel" as well as performing in concert with the Grateful Dead and Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. As an actor Clemons featured in several films, including ''New York, New York'' and ''Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure''. He also made cameo appearances in several TV series, including ''Diff'rent Strokes'', ''Nash Bridges'', ''The Simpsons'' and ''The Wire''. Together with his television writer friend Don Reo he published his semi-fictional autobiography told in third person, ''Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales'', in 2009.〔Billboard, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267058/clarence-clemons-tells-springsteen-tales-in-big-man-book〕 Clemons suffered a stroke on June 12, 2011, and died of complications from it on June 18. Three years following his death, Clemons, along with the rest of the E Street Band, was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ==Early life== Born in Norfolk County (later the city of Chesapeake), Virginia, Clemons was the son of Clarence Clemons, Sr., a fish market owner,〔 and his wife Thelma.〔Staff report (May 25, 1995). (Death notice: Clarence A Clemons Sr. ) ''The Virginian-Pilot''〕〔Carpenter, Brown (February 24, 2006). (Local teacher was an active participant in desegregation. ) ''The Virginian-Pilot''〕 He was the oldest of their three children. His grandfather was a Southern Baptist preacher and, as a result, the young Clemons grew up in a very religious background listening to gospel music. When he was nine, his father gave him an alto saxophone as a Christmas present and paid for music lessons. Clemons later switched to baritone saxophone and played in a high school jazz band. His uncle also influenced his early musical development when he bought him his first King Curtis album. Curtis, and his work with The Coasters in particular, would become a major influence on Clemons and led to him switching to tenor saxophone. As a youth Clemons also showed potential as a football player, and graduated from Crestwood High School (now Crestwood Middle) before attending Maryland State College〔 on both music and football scholarships. He played as a lineman on the same team as Emerson Boozer and attracted the attention of the Cleveland Browns, who offered him a trial. Clemons also tried out for the Dallas Cowboys. However, the day before, he was involved in a serious car accident which effectively ended any plans of a career in the National Football League.〔(www.norfolk.gov )〕〔(''Saxophone player set for Super show'' )〕〔''Backstreets'' No.17 Summer 1986〕 He would eventually be posthumously inducted into the university's Athletics Hall of Fame on February 24, 2012.〔("UMES Announces 2012 Athletic Hall of Fame Class," University of Maryland Eastern Shore Athletics, Thursday, January 26, 2012. )〕 At age 18, Clemons had one of his earliest studio experiences, recording sessions with Tyrone Ashley's Funky Music Machine, a band from Plainfield, New Jersey, that included Ray Davis, Eddie Hazel and Billy Bass Nelson, all of whom later played with Parliament-Funkadelic. He also performed with Daniel Petraitis, a New Jersey and Nashville legend. These sessions were eventually released in 2007, by Truth and Soul Records as ''Let Me Be Your Man''.〔(Truth & Soul, Digging in Music History )〕〔(www.truthandsoulrecords.com )〕 While at Maryland State College Clemons also joined his first band, The Vibratones, which played James Brown covers and stayed together for about four years between 1961 and 1965. While still playing with this band he moved to Newark, New Jersey, where he worked as a counselor for emotionally disturbed children at the Jamesburg Training School for Boys between 1962 and 1970. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Clarence Clemons」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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