Jake Clemons is a songwriter, saxophonist and guitarist who released an EP titled “It’s On” last year.

As a member of the Miami Horns, Eddie Manion supported Springsteen on the Tunnel of Love tour in 1988 and more recently as part of Springsteen’s Seeger Sessions Band.

Trombonist Clark Gayton and trumpeter Curt Ramm will also return to the E Street Band’s brass and woodwind section, along with trumpeter Barry Danelian who played with Springsteen at the Carousel House show in Asbury Park in December 2010.

The US leg of the “Wrecking Ball” tour kicks off in Atlanta, Georgia on March 18 and concludes in Newark, New Jersey on May 2. The band will then take the show to Europe, beginning in Seville, Spain on May 13.

Ahead of the tour, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform live on this year’s Grammy Awards, to be broadcast on CBS Sunday, Feb. 12, 8 ET/PT.

Bruce Springsteen tickets prize draw

Here’s your chance to win two tickets for the Friday 22 June gig at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Click here for your free entry to the Bruce Springsteen tickets prize draw

The prize draw is open to UK readers aged 18 and over.

You can pre-order Springsteen’s new album “Wrecking Ball” now at:

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Scroll down for a chance to win two tickets to see Bruce at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester on June 22.

The tour will promote Springsteen’s latest album, “Wrecking Ball,” which is released on March 6. The single, “We Take Care of Our Own” was released last week.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band US tour dates

• March 18 – Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
• March 19 – Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, NC
• March 23 – Tampa Bay Times Forum, Tampa, FL
• March 26 – TD Garden, Boston, MA
• March 28 – Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• March 29 – Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
• April 1 – Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• April 3 – Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
• April 4 – Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
• April 6 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• April 9 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NY
• April 12 – The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
• April 13 – First Niagara Center, Buffalo, NY
• April 16 – Times Union Center Albany, NY
• April 17 – Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• April 24 – HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA
• April 26 – Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles, CA
• April 29 – New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, LA
• May 2 – Prudential Center, Newark, NJ.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band European tour dates

• May 13 – Estadio Olimpico , Seville, Spain
• May 17 – ,Estadio Olimpico Lluis Barcelona, Spain
• May 18 – Estadio Olimpico Lluis, Barcelona, Spain
• May 25 – Commerzbank Arena, Frankfurt, Germany
• May 27 – RheinEnergieStadion, Cologne, Germany
• May 28 – Pinkpop, Landgraaf, Netherlands
• May 30 – Berlin, Germany, Olympia Stadion
• June 2 – Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian, Spain
• June 3 – Rock in Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
• June 7 – Stadio Meaza, Milan, Italy
• June 10 – Stadio Francesco, Florence, Italy
• June 11 – Stadio Trieste, Trieste, Italy
• June 17 – Estadio Santago Bernabu, Madrid, Spain
• June 19 – Park & Suites Arena, Montpellier, France
• June 21 – Stadium of Light, Sunderland
• June 22 – Etihad Stadium, Manchester
• June 24 – Isle of Wight Festival, Isle of Wight
• July 4 – Bercy, Paris, France
• July 5 – Bercy, Paris, France
• July 7 – Roskilde Festival, Roskilde, Denmark
• July 9 – Stadium Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland
• July 11 – Synot Tip Arena, Prague, Czech Republic
• July 12 – Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria
• July 14 – Hard Rock Calling, London, UK
• July 17 – RDS, Dublin, Ireland
• July 18 – RDS, Dublin, Ireland
• July 21 – Valle Hoven, Oslo, Norway
• July 23 – Koengen, Bergen, Norway
• July 24 – Koengen, Bergen, Norway
• July 27 – Ullevi, Gothenberg, Sweden
• July 28 – Ullevi, Gothenberg, Sweden
• July 31 – Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland.

Bruce Springsteen tickets prize draw

Here’s your chance to win two tickets for the Friday 22 June gig at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester. Click here for your free entry to the Bruce Springsteen tickets prize draw

The prize draw is open to UK readers aged 18 and over.

You can buy the new single and pre-order the album at:

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Bruce Springsteen – We Take Care Of Our Own	Buy Now	Buy Now
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball	Buy Now	Buy Now

The new album was produced by Ron Aniello, who previously worked with Jars of Clay, Candlebox and Patti Scialfa (Springsteen’s wife).

A source close to Bruce has told the Hollywood reporter that “Wrecking Ball” is Bruce’s angriest album yet. As such, it’s no surprise when the title of “We Take Care Of Our Own” turns out to be an example of scathing sarcasm, rather than chest thumping pride. With lyrics such as “The road of good intentions has gone dry as a bone” and “Where’s the promise, from sea to shining sea,” it’s evident that the message is that we should take care of our own, but are failing. This is a device that Springsteen has used before of course, most notably on “Born In the USA,” which seems drenched in patriotic fervour until you actually pay attention to the lyrics that surround the anthemic chorus.

Bruce Springsteen – “We Take Care Of Our Own”

Springsteen’s manager, Jon Landau, told Rolling Stone that “Wrecking Ball” is a “big-picture piece of work. It’s a rock record that combines elements of both Bruce’s classic sound and his Seeger Sessions experience, with new textures and styles.” He added “It was an experimental effort with a new producer. Bruce and Ron used a wide variety of players to create something that both rocks and is very fresh.”

Those “wide variety of players” include Bruce’s E Street Band members, as well as Tom Morello and Pearl Jam drummer Matt Chamberlain. Missing of course was Clarence Clemons on sax, who passed away last June.

The “We Take Care Of Our Own” single (download only) and “Wrecking Ball” album can be bought now from Amazon in the US and iTunes in the UK. The release date for “Wrecking Ball” is March 6 in the US and March 5 in the UK.

The tracklist for “Wrecking Ball” is as follows:

1. We Take Care Of Our Own
2. Easy Money
3. Shackled And Drawn
4. Jack Of All Trades
5. Death To My Hometown
6. This Depression
7. Wrecking Ball
8. You’ve Got It
9. Rocky Ground
10. Land Of Hope and Dreams
11. We Are Alive
12. Swallowed Up (Bonus Track)
13. American Land (Bonus Track).

Ordering information:

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Bruce Springsteen – We Take Care Of Our Own	Buy Now	Buy Now
Bruce Springsteen – Wrecking Ball	Buy Now	Buy Now

Seger invited Springsteen on stage early in the set for what he called a “Christmas treat” for the fans.

Bob Seger & Bruce Springsteen – “Old Time Rock & Roll”

You have to go back more than 30 years for the previous duet between the pair. They performed “Thunder Road” together at the University of Michigan on the opening night of Springsteen’s River tour on October 3, 1980.

Bruce Springsteen & Bob Seger – “Thunder Road”

Springsteen has announced a new album and tour with the E Street Band for 2012, including appearances at the UK’s Hard Rock Calling and Isle of Wight festivals. The following European dates have been confirmed:

• 13 May – Sevilla, Estadio Olimpico
• 17 May – Barcelona, Estadio Olimpico Lluis
• 25 May – Frankfurt, Commerzbank Arena
• 27 May – Cologne, Energie Stadion
• 28 May – Landgraf, Pink Pop
• 30 May – Berlin, Olympia Stadion
• 2 June – San Sebastian, Estadio Anoeta
• 3 June – Lisbon Rock, Lisbon
• 7 June – Milan, Stadio Meaza
• 10 June – Florence, Stadio Francesco
• 11 June – Trieste, Stadio Trieste
• 17 June – Madrid, Estadio Santago Bernabu
• 19 June – Montpelier, Park & Suites Arena
• 21 June – Sunderland, Stadium of Light
• 22 June – Manchester, Etihad Stadium
• 24 June – Isle of Wight, Isle Of Wight Festival
• 4 July – Paris, Bercy
• 5 July – Paris, Bercy
• 7 July – Roskilde, Roskilde Festival
• 9 July – Zurich, Stadium Letzigrund
• 11 July – Prague, Synotip Arena
• 12 July – Vienna, Ernst Happel Stadium
• 14 July – London, Hard Rock Calling
• 17 July – Dublin, RDS
• 18 July – Dublin, RDS
• 21 July – Oslo, Valle Hoven
• 23 July – Bergen, Koegen
• 24 July – Bergen, Koegen
• 27 July – Gothenberg, Ullevi
• 28 July – Gothenberg, Ullevi.

The auction, organised by Gotta Have Rock and Roll, includes stage and video worn costumes, concert played instruments, personal clothing, handwritten lyrics, set lists and letters, signed and inscribed guitars and album covers, contracts, never-before-seen photographs, rare concert posters, gold album awards and much, much more.

Among the many highlights of the auction are a pair of leopard spotted mohair shoes worn on stage by Elvis Presley in 1954, which are expected to fetch $45000 – $50000. Other top Elvis lots include the leather boots worn by the star in his legendary 1968 NBC television special, and a suit he wore on stage in 1956 during his short season at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. The suit was purchased at Lanskys In Memphis.

These are just two of 59 Elvis-related lots up for auction. The Beatles are also very well represented with 175 items relating to the band or the members’ solo projects, including a “Twist and Shout” promotional flyer signed by all four members, and a McCartney-signed “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” album.

There are 32 Hendrix items, including the publishing agreement for his first album and a guitar strap worn on stage at the 1968 Lincoln Center in New York. Bruce Springsteen is also represented by 32 items, including a copy of the “Born To Run” album signed by Bruce and E Street Band members Clarence Clemons (now deceased), Roy Bittan, Garry Tallent, Danny Federici (now deceased), Max Weinberg, Steven Van Zandt, Patty Scialfa and Nils Lofgren.

Other highlights in the Rock & Pop Culture Auction include:

• Prince’s stage used “Yellow Cloud” guitar
• Bob Dylan’s stage used Martin acoustic guitar
• a fedora worn by Michael Jackson on stage
• Joni Mitchell handwritten “For Free” lyrics
• a motorcycle jacket jacket worn by Madonna
• the 1990 “Stravinski” Custom Strat used by Slash on Guns N’ Roses “Use Your Illusion” Tour
• a “Concert For New York City” drum head featuring over 50 signatures from musicians and VIPs, including Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Elton John, and President Bill Clinton.

Click here to view the full Rock & Pop Culture Auction catalogue.

A statement on Springsteen’s official website read as follows:

The following comments were added on the subject of a new album:

This will be Springsteen’s first tour and album with the E Street Band since the sad death of saxophonist Clarence Clemons. The band’s last album of new material was “Working on a Dream” in 2009, which hit number one in many countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Ireland.

The gigs reunited Springsteen with his friends Joe Grushecky and the Houserockers, with whom he performed at the same venue last November. Springsteen and Grushecky have been friends for many years, working on the album “American Babylon” together in 1995.

On both nights, Springsteen first took to the stage to join the opening band “The Composure” on “Dancing In The Dark.” The Composure features Grushecky’s son Johnny.

The second show was the longest of the two, with the 32-song set running three-and-a-half hours and featuring classics from Springsteen’s long career, a selection of Grushecky compositions, and some well received covers. Among the highlights was a first ever solo acoustic version of “Incident On 57th Street” from Springsteen, as requested by Grushecky. Rolling Stone reviewer Andy Greene called this “one of the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful renditions” of the song that Bruce has ever performed. Judge for yourself:

Bruce Springsteen – “Incident On 57th Street” (Nov 4, 2011)

Other songs performed during the marathon second gig included “Your Own Worst Enemy,” “I’ll Work For Your Love,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “Never Be Enough Time, “Another Thin Line,” “Because the Night,” “Radio Nowhere,” “I’m Not Sleeping,” “Two Hearts,” “A Good Life,” “Code of Silence, “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day,” “Johnny 99,” “Save My Love,” “Talking to the King,” “Adam Raised a Cain,” “Pumping Iron,” “Light of Day,” “Hungry Heart,” “The Promised Land,” “Glory Days, “Down the Road Apiece,” “Brown Eyed Girl, “Pink Cadillac,” “Twist and Shout,” “No Surrender,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street,” “Surprise, Surprise,” and finally “Thunder Road” with Joe Grushecky sharing vocal duties.

Bruce Springsteen – “Darkness on the Edge of Town” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen – “Promised Land” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen – “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen – “No Surrender” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen – “Brown Eyed Girl” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen – “Twist and Shout” (Nov 4, 2011)

Bruce Springsteen and Joe Grushecky – “Thunder Road” (Nov 4, 2011)

Springsteen fans will be delighted that he remains capable of performing such lengthy, high energy shows, and that his enthusiasm for performing is undiminished. Let’s hope for news of a 2012 tour soon.

The compilations feature live performances from some of the biggest stars to have appeared at the annual Bridge School Benefit Concerts, including Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, David Bowie, Simon and Garfunkel, The Who, James Taylor, Pearl Jam and R.E.M.

The Bridge School Benefit Concerts are organised by Neil Young and his wife Pegi to benefit the Bridge School, which is a school for children with special needs. This year’s show takes place over two days on October 22 and October 23. Artists scheduled to perform include Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Arcade Fire, Eddie Vedder, Diana Krall, Beck, Mumford & Sons and more.

The 3-DVD edition of the set contains the following performances:

Disc 1

• “Born In The USA” – Bruce Springsteen
• “People Have The Power” – Patti Smith
• “Better Man” – Pearl Jam
• “Heroes” – David Bowie
• “There Will Be a Light” – Ben Harper
• “Girl From The North Country” – Bob Dylan
• “Country Feedback” – R.E.M.
• “Love Hurts” – Emmylou Harris & Buddy Miller
• “Blue Ridge Mountains” – Fleet Foxes
• “The Road Is My Middle Name” – Bonnie Raitt
• “Rebel Yell” – Billy Idol.

Disc 2

• “Surfin’ USA” – Brian Wilson
• “The Way It Will Be” – Gillian Welch
• “Sense of Purpose” – The Pretenders
• “Fire and Rain” – James Taylor
• “America” – Simon and Garfunkel
• “Shadow of a Doubt” – Tom Petty
• “Too Much” – Dave Matthews
• “Crime In The City” – Neil Young
• “16 Shells From a Thirty-Ought Six” – Tom Waits
• “A Dream Come True” – Elton John & Leon Russell
• “Get Back” – Paul McCartney
• “Disposable Heroes” – Metallica
• “Won’t Get Fooled Again” – The Who.

Disc 3

Documentaries:

• Backstage at the Bridge School Benefit Concert
• The Bridge School Story
• Special Feature – Student/Artist Interviews.

The 2-CD edition contains the following tracks:

Disc 1

• “Born In The USA” – Bruce Springsteen
• “Too Much” – Dave Matthews
• “Magic’s In The Makeup” – No Doubt
• “Gone” – Jack Johnson
• “Blue Ridge Mountains” – Fleet Foxes
• “Love And Only Love” – Neil Young and Crazy Horse
• “Rain on Tin” – Sonic Youth
• “Better Man” – Pearl Jam
• “The Way It Will Be” – Gillian Welch
• “Country Feedback” – R.E.M. and Neil Young
• “The Great Divide” – Willie Nelson
• “Cry Just a Little” – Nils Lofgren.

Disc 2

• “Elsewhere” – Sarah McLachlan
• “Get Back” – Paul McCartney
• “A Dream Come True” – Elton John & Leon Russell
• “Marry Song” – Band Of Horses
• “Disposable Heroes” – Metallica
• “After The Gold Rush” – Thom Yorke
• “The Difficult Kind” – Sheryl Crow
• “Maybe This Time” – Tony Bennett
• “Déjà Vu” – CSNY
• “Jesus, Etc” – Norah Jones
• “I Was Dancing In The Lesbian Bar” – Jonathan Richman
• “Surfin’ USA” – Brian Wilson
• “Won’t Get Fooled Again” – The Who.

The vinyl edition features the same content as the CD edition.

You can pre-order “The Bridge School Benefit Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition” now. Only the CD version is available in the UK.

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The Bridge School Benefit Concerts – 25th Anniversary Edition (Vinyl)	Buy Now	Buy Now	N/A

We celebrate the USA’s 235th birthday with three of the greatest songs ever written about the country.

Elvis Presley – “America the Beautiful”

One of America’s most patriotic musical sons, Elvis Presley, sang “America the Beautiful” in concert throughout 1976 to mark America’s Bicentennial.

Nat King Cole – “Route 66″

There have been many versions of this song about America’s most famous highway. Written by Bobby Troup in 1946, it was first recorded by Nat King Cole in the same year.

Bruce Springsteen – “This Land is Your Land”

Woody Guthrie wrote “This Land is Your Land” in 1940 as a response to Irving Berlin’s song “God Bless America.” It has since been recorded by numerous artists, including Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger and Peter, Paul and Mary.

This version from Bruce Springsteen was recorded on the “Born In the USA” tour in the mid-’80s.

Clemons died on June 18 from complications arising from a stroke. His funeral was held on June 21.

Here’s the eulogy…

This is a slightly revised version of the eulogy I delivered for Clarence at his memorial. I’d like to thank all our fans and friends who have comforted us over the past difficult weeks. FOR THE BIG MAN.

I’ve been sitting here listening to everyone talk about Clarence and staring at that photo of the two of us right there. It’s a picture of Scooter and The Big Man, people who we were sometimes. As you can see in this particular photo, Clarence is admiring his muscles and I’m pretending to be nonchalant while leaning upon him. I leaned on Clarence a lot; I made a career out of it in some ways.

Those of us who shared Clarence’s life, shared with him his love and his confusion. Though “C” mellowed with age, he was always a wild and unpredictable ride. Today I see his sons Nicky, Chuck, Christopher and Jarod sitting here and I see in them the reflection of a lot of C’s qualities. I see his light, his darkness, his sweetness, his roughness, his gentleness, his anger, his brilliance, his handsomeness, and his goodness. But, as you boys know your pop was a not a day at the beach. “C” lived a life where he did what he wanted to do and he let the chips, human and otherwise, fall where they may. Like a lot of us your pop was capable of great magic and also of making quite an amazing mess. This was just the nature of your daddy and my beautiful friend. Clarence’s unconditional love, which was very real, came with a lot of conditions. Your pop was a major project and always a work in progress. “C” never approached anything linearly, life never proceeded in a straight line. He never went A… B…. C…. D. It was always A… J…. C…. Z… Q… I….! That was the way Clarence lived and made his way through the world. I know that can lead to a lot of confusion and hurt, but your father also carried a lot of love with him, and I know he loved each of you very very dearly.

It took a village to take care of Clarence Clemons. Tina, I’m so glad you’re here. Thank you for taking care of my friend, for loving him. Victoria, you’ve been a loving, kind and caring wife to Clarence and you made a huge difference in his life at a time when the going was not always easy. To all of “C’s” vast support network, names too numerous to mention, you know who you are and we thank you. Your rewards await you at the pearly gates. My pal was a tough act but he brought things into your life that were unique and when he turned on that love light, it illuminated your world. I was lucky enough to stand in that light for almost 40 years, near Clarence’s heart, in the Temple of Soul.

So a little bit of history: from the early days when Clarence and I traveled together, we’d pull up to the evening’s lodgings and within minutes “C” would transform his room into a world of his own. Out came the colored scarves to be draped over the lamps, the scented candles, the incense, the patchouli oil, the herbs, the music, the day would be banished, entertainment would come and go, and Clarence the Shaman would reign and work his magic, night after night. Clarence’s ability to enjoy Clarence was incredible. By 69, he’d had a good run, because he’d already lived about 10 lives, 690 years in the life of an average man. Every night, in every place, the magic came flying out of C’s suitcase. As soon as success allowed, his dressing room would take on the same trappings as his hotel room until a visit there was like a trip to a sovereign nation that had just struck huge oil reserves. “C” always knew how to live. Long before Prince was out of his diapers, an air of raunchy mysticism ruled in the Big Man’s world. I’d wander in from my dressing room, which contained several fine couches and some athletic lockers, and wonder what I was doing wrong! Somewhere along the way all of this was christened the Temple of Soul; and “C” presided smilingly over its secrets, and its pleasures. Being allowed admittance to the Temple’s wonders was a lovely thing.

As a young child my son Sam became enchanted with the Big Man… no surprise. To a child Clarence was a towering fairy tale figure, out of some very exotic storybook. He was a dreadlocked giant, with great hands and a deep mellifluous voice sugared with kindness and regard. And… to Sammy, who was just a little white boy, he was deeply and mysteriously black. In Sammy’s eyes, “C” must have appeared as all of the African continent, shot through with American cool, rolled into one welcoming and loving figure. So… Sammy decided to pass on my work shirts and became fascinated by Clarence’s suits and his royal robes. He declined a seat in dad’s van and opted for “C’s” stretch limousine, sitting by his side on the slow cruise to the show. He decided dinner in front of the hometown locker just wouldn’t do, and he’d saunter up the hall and disappear into the Temple of Soul.

Of course, also enchanted was Sam’s dad, from the first time I saw my pal striding out of the shadows of a half empty bar in Asbury Park, a path opening up before him; here comes my brother, here comes my sax man, my inspiration, my partner, my lifelong friend. Standing next to Clarence was like standing next to the baddest ass on the planet. You were proud, you were strong, you were excited and laughing with what might happen, with what together, you might be able to do. You felt like no matter what the day or the night brought, nothing was going to touch you. Clarence could be fragile but he also emanated power and safety, and in some funny way we became each other’s protectors; I think perhaps I protected “C” from a world where it still wasn’t so easy to be big and black. Racism was ever present and over the years together, we saw it. Clarence’s celebrity and size did not make him immune. I think perhaps “C” protected me from a world where it wasn’t always so easy to be an insecure, weird and skinny white boy either. But, standing together we were badass, on any given night, on our turf, some of the baddest asses on the planet. We were united, we were strong, we were righteous, we were unmovable, we were funny, we were corny as hell and as serious as death itself. And we were coming to your town to shake you and to wake you up. Together, we told an older, richer story about the possibilities of friendship that transcended those I’d written in my songs and in my music. Clarence carried it in his heart. It was a story where the Scooter and the Big Man not only busted the city in half, but we kicked ass and remade the city, shaping it into the kind of place where our friendship would not be such an anomaly. And that… that’s what I’m gonna miss. The chance to renew that vow and double down on that story on a nightly basis, because that is something, that is the thing that we did together… the two of us. Clarence was big, and he made me feel, and think, and love, and dream big. How big was the Big Man? Too fucking big to die. And that’s just the facts. You can put it on his grave stone, you can tattoo it over your heart. Accept it… it’s the New World.

Clarence doesn’t leave the E Street Band when he dies. He leaves when we die.

So, I’ll miss my friend, his sax, the force of nature his sound was, his glory, his foolishness, his accomplishments, his face, his hands, his humor, his skin, his noise, his confusion, his power, his peace. But his love and his story, the story that he gave me, that he whispered in my ear, that he allowed me to tell… and that he gave to you… is gonna carry on. I’m no mystic, but the undertow, the mystery and power of Clarence and my friendship leads me to believe we must have stood together in other, older times, along other rivers, in other cities, in other fields, doing our modest version of god’s work… work that’s still unfinished. So I won’t say goodbye to my brother, I’ll simply say, see you in the next life, further on up the road, where we will once again pick up that work, and get it done.

Big Man, thank you for your kindness, your strength, your dedication, your work, your story. Thanks for the miracle… and for letting a little white boy slip through the side door of the Temple of Soul.

SO LADIES AND GENTLEMAN… ALWAYS LAST, BUT NEVER LEAST. LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE MASTER OF DISASTER, the BIG KAHUNA, the MAN WITH A PHD IN SAXUAL HEALING, the DUKE OF PADUCAH, the KING OF THE WORLD, LOOK OUT OBAMA! THE NEXT BLACK PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES EVEN THOUGH HE’S DEAD… YOU WISH YOU COULD BE LIKE HIM BUT YOU CAN’T! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE BIGGEST MAN YOU’VE EVER SEEN!… GIVE ME A C-L-A-R-E-N-C-E. WHAT’S THAT SPELL? CLARENCE! WHAT’S THAT SPELL? CLARENCE! WHAT’S THAT SPELL? CLARENCE! … amen.

I’m gonna leave you today with a quote from the Big Man himself, which he shared on the plane ride home from Buffalo, the last show of the last tour. As we celebrated in the front cabin congratulating one another and telling tales of the many epic shows, rocking nights and good times we’d shared, “C” sat quietly, taking it all in, then he raised his glass, smiled and said to all gathered, “This could be the start of something big.”

Love you, “C”.