Bob Weir Of The Grateful Dead Pays Tribute To Clarence Clemons

Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir is among a multitude of celebrity musicians who spoke with Rolling Stone about the loss of E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons.

Weir remembers Clemons as an “old pal, a soulful bro” and says that spending time with Clemons was “a good hang.” (editor's note for our younger readers: this is how old hippies talk.)

He details an early ‘90s experience with the saxophonist by revealing that Clemons, who was moving on after the dissolution of the E Street Band, suggested that he, Weir and Jerry Garcia move in together and “have a bachelor pad.” Weir says “Jerry and I almost went for it. It would've been a lot of fun, but I don't think anyone would have survived [Laughs]. Jerry was in good shape, but we were doing a little drinking.”

Recalling Clemons’ love for his own instrument, Weir says that Clarence was “always up for playing” and a “delight to play with.” Musically, Clemons was “a big guy with a lot of lung power,” but it was his flexibility that endeared Clemons to the members of the Dead when he first sat in with the group.

He reveals that it’s very possible that in that time period, Clemons could have ended up as a member of the Grateful Dead, had it not been for a couple of members who “hated saxophones.” Weir says that “Jerry and I would've gone for it, but I'm not sure everyone else would.”

Read the entire Rolling Stone article, including additional remembrances from Jackson Browne, Tom Morello and others, by clicking here.