Jake Clemons Takes Center Stage
Jake Clemons had some big shoes to fill when Bruce Springsteen tapped him to play sax in the E Street Band after the 2011 death of Clarence Clemons (Jake's uncle). Fans can be a cranky bunch, and some of Springsteen's longtime followers were skeptical that anyone could come close to taking Clarence's place as Springsteen's tenor sax player and onstage foil. But it didn't take long before the skeptics came around. For one thing, Jake can really do justice to songs like Thunder Road, Spirit in the Night, and even Jungleland, a song some fans thought should be retired after Clarence's death. For another, Jake has a pleasing onstage presence, bringing out a warm and avuncular side of Bruce's personality. Nobody will ever take the place of Clarence Clemons. But Jake has quickly become a beloved member of the E Street Band in his own right. So when my friend and fellow Bruce enthusiast Diane told me that Jake Clemons would be headlining at the ...