Clarence Clemons has had a stroke...

[MollysChamber]

Sax player in Bruce Springsteens E Street Band before anyone asks.

Absolute LEGEND!

Hope it's not too bad.

[GypsyMoth]

Oh I remember him! Hope he recovers well

[northender]

Oh no. dh is reading his book "Big Man" at the moment. We're hoping to get one more tour with him in the band and for our kids to see him. Hope he's okay.

[anniepanniepears]

aww sad saw him years ago when e street band was playing in Leeds they were brilliant

[northender]

Just looked on the rolling stone site and it sounds like a big stroke when they're talking about him being responsive as an improvement

[mckenzie]

A true legend. I wish him a speedy recovery.

[MollysChamber]

Saw Bruce last year in Glasgow. Clarence was playing. The crowd LOVED him. Almost as much as Bruce. He's just the epitome of cool. Hadn't realised he is 69.

[MollysChamber]

Oh dear northender. That's not good.

[GypsyMoth]

69!!! Blimey

I also saw him in Leeds, many years ago

[MollysChamber]

Not many 69 year olds that could rock dreads like that!

[chippy47]

Leeds 1984/5 at Roundhay park- born in the USA tour. Amazing gig.

[GypsyMoth]

I was there chippy!! Bumped in to our geog teacher, awkward moment!

[northender]

I'm a relatively recent Springsteen convert since meeting dh and deciding resistance was futile. He's seen Bruuuce many times (Roundhay Park and Glasgow included) and loves Clarence. He has such a presence on stage. Wishing him well

[atswimtwolengths]

So sad, isn't it? I love that man, such a tremendous saxophonist. I don't know what'll happen to the band if he can't play with them again.

Hey I was there too, chippy! Had just finished my degree. I wish I could have seen him in Hammersmith in 75 - now that looked fantastic.

I just love Springsteen and the E Street Band - just wish I could see them in a small venue.

[atswimtwolengths]

Anyone seen this duet with Bruce Springsteen and Melissa Etheridge singing Thunder Road? I love it.

[frumpygrumpy]

Big Man, big loss

[northender]

fg I was hoping I'd "see" you today. What a loss. RIP Big Man.

[MollysChamber]

[fuckmepinkandcallmerosie]

[Earlybird]

I read this tribute on another website, and thought it was worth sharing here:

'' I was on holiday in Tunisia when I heard the sad news of Clarence Clemons? death and decided to celebrate his life by playing my collection of Bruce Springsteen tracks at maximum volume in my hire car as I was driving.

Tunisia, by the way, is totally safe and a superb vacation destination at the moment ? 5 Star hotels at 2 Star prices; great food and hot sunshine on the beaches, rather as I know Asbury Park, New Jersey can be in the summer.

So I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about Sandy and the ?waitress who had lost her desire for me? and the boardwalk music of the brilliant Boss so superbly backed by Clarence on sax and the rest of the magnificent E Street Band.

I reached the pay booth on the toll ? Peage ? under a pound for use of the excellent highway. 4th of July had finished and I was half way through Rosalita ? that fabulous five part key change just before Clarence kicks in ? and went to turn down the music which was blasting out of the car but the young cash collector indicated to turn it back up, with a huge smile. He called over a friend from another booth ? there weren?t many cars on this Sunday morning. Soon a dozen Tunisians were smiling and moving to the sounds. I opened all the windows and by the climax even fat policemen in heavy uniforms were jiving and grinning and dancing. All work had stopped. Rosalita finished; I put the CD on pause; I explained that Clarence had just died. They asked for the name of the track on a piece of paper ? then for Bruce?s name; they had never heard of him ? one of them copied it in Arabic; then Clarence?s name.

They waved me through refusing to take my money.

I pressed the pause button; unfortunately the next track was Thunder Road, my favourite Springsteen track. After a hundred yeards, when I was out of sight of the station, I pulled the car over and burst into tears.

I was crying for the soundtrack of my life; for my friends like the late DJ Roger Scott who had shared so many great Bruce concerts with me; for the fact that I had just witnessed the joy and happiness that music can bring into every life, all over the world; and most of all for the Big Man, Clarence, whose on stage connection with Bruce had been so magic, whose contribution to the sound so enormous, whose love of life had flowed into the tracks. I was crying for the loss but mostly with gratitude for the wonderful light that had lit up the darkness at the edge of town. ''

[Mins]

Such sad news - such a classic performer. Saw him with Bruce and the E-Street band back in the 80s twice and would have loved to see them again. Watched recordings of them at glastobury in 2009 today and then played the Born to Run album really loud. Jungleand a real Clarence moment. RIP big man.