Clarence Clemons – The E Street Band

Dennis Elsas with Clarence Clemons

The first time I met Clarence Clemons was backstage at New York’s Bottom Line in August 1975 during his historic series of performances with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.

In 1985 I did a TV profile about him for PM Magazine spotlighting his solo career. When we sat down again in Feb 2004 he was working on some solo projects, but still very much a pivotal member of Bruce’s band and firmly established as one of the defining saxophone players of rock n’ roll. We talked about all of these things and he shared the wonderful story of the night forever immortalized in “Tenth Avenue Freezout” when “the Big Man joined the band. ”

Click here to listen to the full audio