E Street Band mainstay Clarence Clemons has passed away following a battle with ill health.

Renowned saxophonist Clarence Clemons has died. The musician suffered a stroke last week, which left him requiring hospital treatment. Now it seems that due to ongoing health complications the legendary lynchpin of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band has passed away.

The Boss himself has confirmed the news, issuing a statement via his official website:

It is with overwhelming sadness that we inform our friends and fans that at 7:00 tonight, Saturday, June 18, our beloved friend and bandmate, Clarence Clemons passed away. The cause was complications from his stroke of last Sunday, June 12th.

Bruce Springsteen said of Clarence: Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band.

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More on this story as information comes in.