New Jersey Stage Issue 59 | Page 66

“He had this desperation to un- derstand who he was and how he fit into the universe,” said Jake Clemons who has played sax in the E Street Band since his uncle’s death in 2011. The documentary contains inter- views with Clarence’s friends and family; musicians like Vini Lopez, Nils Lofgren, Joe Walsh, Norman Seldin, and Willie Nile; Chris Phil- lips of Backstreets Magazine, pho- ages of a trip Clarence made to China,” said Amodei. “It was quite beautiful. I felt we could expand on that idea using footage already filmed of him back home and turn the movie into a feature length film.” Throughout the film is the imag- ery of traveling down a desolate highway while hearing words from Clarence himself. The journey be- gins by taking us to his childhood “He had this desperation to understand who he was and how he fit into the universe” -- Jake Clemons tographer Danny Clinch, Jim Allen (CEO of Hard Rock Hotel and Ca- sino), and even former President Bill Clinton. Producer Joe Amodei, President/ CEO of Virgil Films & Entertain- ment came on board years ago after seeing an early screening of the film in New Jersey. “The origi- nal film was a rich tapestry of im- NJ STAGE - ISSUE 59 in Virginia with his aunts Sarah Gil- christ and Corrine Cross. We then meet Dave Starkey, a childhood friend and fellow musician. A few minutes later, we see the begin- ning of Clarence’s time in Asbury Park as Norman Seldin describes the first time the Big Man jammed with his band the Joyful Noyze and was asked to join the band INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 66