I normally shy away from telling show business “war stories” but this week’s sad news that Clarence Clemons had died brought back a memory that seemed worth sharing.
In the summer of 1987, about a year after Harrison Bros. got its start, we had the opportunity to provide a sound system for the July 4th Celebration at Camp Lejeune, that gigantic Marine Corps base on the North Carolina coast. These events are usually pretty generic, but this one turned out to have a nice back story.
The main entertainment was the Marine Corps band based at Camp Lejeune, and it was conducted by a Marine captain named William Clemons. It turns out that Capt. Clemons was Clarence Clemons’ brother. Guess who showed up to play a guest spot with band-the Big Man himself.
We got to spend some time together back stage and I had a chance to take a picture of Clarence & Bill together. But that’s just the beginning of this story.
The next winter Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band brought their “Tunnel of Love” tour to the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, and since I was a regular on the stage crew there, I was on the call for both shows. I got a prime assignment as a truss follow spot operator and my “home” position was Clarence Clemons. I spent both shows hanging right over his head.
Between shows, I was able to get back stage to his dressing room and give him the picture I had taken of him and his brother. He remembered me and broke into a huge grin when he saw my photo. He had a handshake like a grizzly bear!
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