Clarence Clemons, Bruce Springsteen's Saxophone Player, Dead at 69

​The Big Man has died.

On June 12, Bruce Springsteen's good friend and longtime E Street Band saxophone player Clarence Clemons suffered a massive stroke at his home in Singer Island, Florida. He was immediately rushed to the hospital, where two brain surgeries were performed to stop cranial bleeding.

In the days following the stroke, Springsteen fansite Backstreets.com indicated that Clemons's condition had improved, quoting a "close friend" as saying: "Yesterday, it did not look good at all. Today ... miracles are happening. His vital signs are improving. He's responsive ... He was paralyzed on his left side, but now he's squeezing with his left hand."

Yet despite the encouraging reports, Clemons succumbed to complications last night at a hospital in Palm Beach. He was 69. As the Boss might say, long live the King of the Universe, Socrates of the Saxophone, the Duke of Paducah.

See the cut for an official statement from Bruce Springsteen about Clarence Clemons's death.

A Statement From Bruce Springsteen About Clarence Clemons

It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.

Bruce Springsteen said of Clarence: 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.

via BruceSpringsteen.net

Follow Crossfade on Facebook and Twitter @Crossfade_SFL.