29 Facts About Clarence Clemons

Clarence Clemons made cameo appearances in several TV series, including Diff'rent Strokes, Nash Bridges, The Simpsons, My Wife and Kids and The Wire.

Clarence Clemons's grandfather was a Baptist preacher and, as a result, the young Clemons grew up in a very religious environment listening to gospel music.

Clarence Clemons later switched to tenor saxophone and played in a high school jazz band.

Clarence Clemons's uncle 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 Clarence Clemons and led to him switching to tenor saxophone.

At age 18, Clarence 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.

Clarence Clemons performed with Daniel Petraitis, a New Jersey and Nashville legend.

The story of how Clarence Clemons first met Bruce Springsteen has entered into E Street Band mythology.

In 1969, Clarence Clemons had recorded an eponymous album with this band.

Four days later Clarence Clemons made his debut with the formative E Street Band at an unadvertised, impromptu performance at The Shipbottom Lounge.

Outside of his work with the E Street Band, Clarence Clemons recorded with many other artists and had a number of musical projects on his own.

Clarence Clemons collaborated with Lady Gaga on the songs "Hair" and "The Edge of Glory" from her album Born This Way, providing a saxophone track and solo.

Clarence Clemons appeared in several movies and on television, making his screen debut in Martin Scorsese's 1977 musical film New York, New York, in which he played a trumpet player.

In 1985, Clarence Clemons was a special guest star in Diff'rent Strokes episode "So You Want to Be a Rock Star", in which he played the role of Mr Kingsley, a young saxophonist helping Arnold Jackson to learn to play his sax.

Clarence Clemons played the role of Jack in Swing starring opposite Lisa Stansfield and Hugo Speer, directed by Nick Mead.

Clarence Clemons appeared alongside Michael McKean and David Bowe as a miner in one episode of musician "Weird Al" Yankovic's children's television show The Weird Al Show.

Clarence Clemons is a guest voice in "Grift of the Magi", a 1999 episode of The Simpsons.

Clarence Clemons made a cameo appearance in the sequel to The Blues Brothers, Blues Brothers 2000, as part of the metal section of super blues band The Louisiana Gator Boys.

Clarence Clemons appeared in the episode "Michael's Band" of Damon Wayans' television show My Wife and Kids as a musician, and performed "One Shadow In The Sun", an original composition co-written with bassist Lynn Woolever.

Clarence Clemons twice appeared as a Baltimore youth-program organizer in the HBO crime drama The Wire.

Clarence Clemons appeared in an episode of Brothers and in the "Eddie's Book" episode of 'Til Death as himself.

Clarence Clemons fathered four sons: Charles, Christopher, Jarod, and Clarence III.

Clarence Clemons resided in Florida where he became involved with charitable organizations.

Clarence Clemons had surgery for a detached retina and suffered from chronic pain.

Clarence Clemons described his final tour with the E Street Band as "pure hell" due to his health challenges.

Clarence Clemons suffered a massive stroke at his home in Florida, on June 12,2011.

Clarence Clemons read lyrics from Springsteen's "Jungleland" near the end of the song, and repeated them at the song's conclusion.

On October 1,2011, a tribute to Clarence Clemons took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

In January 2012, Clarence Clemons' hometown paid tribute with memorial concerts featuring members of the E Street Band.