LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly 40 years," Springsteen said in a statement posted on the band's website.

"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."

The saxophonist's can be heard throughout Springsteen's early hits as "Born to Run" and "Thunder Road." His influence could also be seen in Springsteen's live shows, where the two men routinely bantered about their beginnings, their life on the road and their music.

The two men reportedly first met at the Stone Pony music venue in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where Springsteen was performing. Springsteen was performing when winds blew the door off and the 6-foot, 4-inch towering figure of Clemons invited himself onstage to play.

"From the first time we saw each other, we stayed together for two weeks," Clemons told CNN in 2009 while promoting his pseudo-memoir "Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales." "We were inseparable," he said.

Clemons, who was dubbed "Big Man" by friends because of his height, made his last musical appearance in May when he took the stage with Lady Gaga on Fox's "American Idol" to perform "The Edge of Glory."

Clemons also worked as an actor, appearing in TV shows such as "The Wire" and "The Simpsons." He also appeared in films, including "New York, New York."