Was Clarence Clemons a good sax player?
Sarah Oconnor
Updated on February 27, 2026
In the admittedly narrow category of great and revered saxophone players in rock, Clarence Clemons stands supreme. His two-minute solo on ‘Jungleland’, the closing track on ‘Born To Run’, is surely the best sax solo ever, coaxing gracefulness and poetry from an instrument that generally struggles to convey either.
Who played saxophone for the E Street Band?
Jake Clemons
Jake Clemons wants everyone to know this: He isn’t trying to replace his uncle, Clarence Clemons, by taking over as saxophone player in Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
Did Clarence Clemons ever marry?
‘” By now Clemons had married, and fathered two sons, Clarence III and Charles, by his first wife, but the union quickly became a casualty of his decision to quit his job and join the E Street Band.
What brand of sax did Clarence Clemons play?
The rest is history, although Clemons has had many solo side projects and collaborations, as well as some acting roles. Clarence Clemons’s saxophone setup: Tenor Sax Selmer VI with a Dukoff D9 or Berg Larsen mouthpiece.
Who is Bruce Springsteen’s best friend?
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt may seem like the ultimate rock BFFs.
Who is Bruce Springsteen’s new saxophone?
| Jake Clemons | |
|---|---|
| Instruments | Saxophone, guitar, bass, piano, keyboard, drums, percussion, clarinet, blues harp |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Associated acts | Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Mae, The Swell Season |
| Website | jakeclemons.com |
Is Clarence Clemons the best saxophone player ever?
In the admittedly narrow category of great and revered saxophone players in rock, Clarence Clemons stands supreme. His two-minute solo on ‘Jungleland’, the closing track on ‘Born To Run’, is surely the best sax solo ever, coaxing gracefulness and poetry from an instrument that generally struggles to convey either.
Should you play Clarence Clemons’s “born to run” solo as he played it?
In the case of “Born to Run”, though, you should always play Clarence Clemons’s solo as he played it. Anyone who is at all familiar with the song is familiar with the “Born to Run” saxophone solo; maybe even able to sing it. The solo, as played originally, is an essential part of the song.
Who was Clarence Clemons?
A tribute to Bruce Springsteen And The E Street Band sax player Clarence Clemons, who died on June 18 following a stroke suffered a week earlier In the admittedly narrow category of great and revered saxophone players in rock, Clarence Clemons stands supreme.
Did Bruce Springsteen meet Clarence Clemons when he was a lineman?
But what the Browns lost in a lineman, music gained in a unique voice which embraced blues, R&B and rock’n’roll. The legend goes that when Clarence Clemons met Bruce Springsteen for the first time, Clarence was in Asbury Park, New Jersey on a gig with a group called Normal Seldin & the Joyful Noyze.