PALM BEACH, Fla. — Bruce Springsteen eloquently eulogized saxophonist Clarence Clemons, his band mate and friend of more than four decades, at a private funeral Tuesday at a small church.

The roughly two-hour service for the 69-year-old Clemons, known as “The Big Man” and Springsteen’s main foil onstage over their long careers, was at the Royal Poinciana Chapel on this manicured island of the rich and famous. Faint strains of music could be heard outside the small gray church.

Springsteen, among those delivering eulogies, spoke of his long kinship with Clemons, according to those leaving the church.

Singer Jackson Browne and members of the E Street Band, including guitarist Steven Van Zandt and Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, also were on hand. Miami Heat general manager Pat Riley was seen leaving the church, which is beside the historic estate of tycoon Henry Flagler and nearby the tony Breakers hotel.

The 6-foot-5 Clemons had suffered from numerous medical problems over the years. He needed spinal surgery to relieve back pain and had two knee replacements. In recent years, he often needed to rest on stools onstage to play sax and percussion. He died from stroke complications Saturday at his home in Singer Island, Fla.

Clemons’ booming saxophone solos became a signature sound for the E Street Band on many key songs, especially on Springsteen’s breakthrough album in 1975, “Born to Run.”

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The saxophonist’s legacy and place in the band was captured in the song “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out.” It has the famous lyric, “When the change was made uptown and the Big Man joined the band. From the coastline to the city, all the little pretties raised their hands.”

The anthem is often used to introduce E Street members during concerts.

Clemons, who was the oldest member of the E Street Band, also performed with the Grateful Dead, the Jerry Garcia Band, and Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band. He recorded with a wide range of artists including Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison and Jackson Browne. He also had his own band called the Temple of Soul.

Bay says Hitler remarks led to Fox’s dismissal

LOS ANGELES — Michael Bay says Steven Spielberg demanded he dismiss Megan Fox from the third “Transformers” film after she compared Bay to Hitler.

Bay tells GQ magazine in an article appearing in its July issue that Spielberg, who is an executive producer on the film, told the director to “fire her right now” after Fox made the Hitler remarks to a British magazine last year.

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Fox told the magazine before production began on the third “Transformers” installment that Bay “wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is.”

The 25-year-old actress was replaced by Victoria’s Secret model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” which opens next week.

Paramount confirmed Tuesday that Bay made the comments to GQ but did not elaborate.

Low-key birthday for prince 

LONDON — Just-married Prince William celebrated his 29th birthday Tuesday at work.

The prince, a helicopter search-and-rescue pilot in the Royal Air Force, was on duty at a base on an island off the coast of Wales and was expected to mark his birthday privately.

The prospect of a low-key birthday might have appealed to the prince following his blow-out April 29 wedding at Westminster Abbey to Kate Middleton. He is also due to travel to Canada and the United States next month on his first official overseas trip as a married man.

William’s grandfather, Prince Philip, recently celebrated his 90th birthday with a full day of official engagements.

 


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