It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 9:59 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: RIP Boots Randolph
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 11:42 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
Boots Randolph, One of my hero's growing up has passed away.

RIP Boots, Thank You for your gift of music.




By JOE EDWARDS, Associated Press WriterWed Jul 4, 1:28 AM ET

Boots Randolph, a saxophone player best known for the 1963 hit "Yakety Sax," died Tuesday. He was 80.

Randolph suffered a cerebral hemorrhage June 25 and had been hospitalized in a coma. He was taken off a respirator earlier Tuesday, said Betty Hofer, a publicist and spokeswoman for the family.

Randolph played regularly in Nashville nightclubs for 30 years, becoming a tourist draw for the city much like Wayne Newton in Las Vegas and Pete Fountain in New Orleans.

He recorded more than 40 albums and spent 15 years touring with the Festival of Music, teaming with fellow instrumentalists Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer.

As a session musician, he played on Elvis Presley's "Return to Sender," Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree" and "I'm Sorry," REO Speedwagon's "Little Queenie," Al Hirt's "Java" and other songs including ones by Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash.

He had his biggest solo hit with "Yakety Sax," which he wrote.

"'Yakety Sax' will be my trademark," Randolph said in a 1990 interview with The Associated Press. "I'll hang my hat on it. It's kept me alive. Every sax player in the world has tried to play it. Some are good, some are awful."

"Yakety Sax" was used on the TV program "The Benny Hill Show" more than two decades after the tune was on the charts.

"It rejuvenated the song," Randolph said in 1990. "So many people know it from the show."

He also was part of the Million Dollar Band on the TV show "Hee Haw."

Randolph was born Homer Louis Randolph in Paducah, Ky., and grew up in the rural community of Cadiz, Ky., where he learned to play music with his family's band.

He said he didn't know where or why he got the nickname "Boots," although his Web site at the time of his death suggested it was to avoid confusion because he and his father shared the same first name.

Randolph began playing the ukulele and then the trombone, but switched to the tenor sax when his father unexpectedly brought one home.

He graduated from high school in Evansville, Ind., then joined the Army and became a member of the Army Band.

After his discharge, he played primarily jazz at nightclubs for $60 a week. He finally landed a recording contract with RCA in Nashville in 1958 and also was hired as a musician for recording sessions.

Randolph had his own nightclub in Nashville's Printer's Alley for 17 years, closing it in 1994 because of declining business and to spend more time with his family.

He played regularly at other nightclubs before and after that. He had lived in Nashville since 1961.

Randolph charted 13 albums on the pop charts from 1963 to 1972. His other single hits included "Hey, Mr. Sax Man" in 1964 and "Temptation" in 1967.

"Every time I pick the horn up, it's more intriguing to me," he said in 1990. "It satisfies my desire to do whatever I do."

"I think I probably get better because I work so much," he said at the time. "You get to a point where you can be lackadaisical or nonchalant. But I'm not like that. I worry if I play a tune bad or my horn is not working right."

Survivors include his wife, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 4:32 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:53 pm
Posts: 448
Location: Seattle, Washington
OH NO!
I was completely unaware of this until just now.
That's a huge bummer.

R.I.P. Boots.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 04, 2007 5:28 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
I was shocked when I read this on another forum.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:31 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:41 am
Posts: 854
Location: Rockville, MD
RIP Boots. Man I am getting old :(


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:49 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
chris63 wrote:
RIP Boots. Man I am getting old :(


Happens to the best of us.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:38 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2007 3:53 pm
Posts: 448
Location: Seattle, Washington
Ever since i was little (like REALLY little), I wanted to play the saxophone.
My parents always had me listen to Kenny G.
Then I discovered Boots a couple years later.
Sadly, i never picked up a saxophone, I might try it later, but now I'm fine with guitar, drums, bass, and singing.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:40 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 7:02 am
Posts: 8609
Location: Vacaville, CA USA
I wanted to play Sax too, then I joined school band and started with clarinet, then switched to Sax. All because of listening to Boots Randolph.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:27 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 8:25 pm
Posts: 70
Location: Salt Lake, Utah
i LOVE yakety sax! he is my friend in a ska bands idol, and is still one of mine. :cry:

_________________
R.I.P.
"Dimebag" Darrell Lance Abbot
December 8, 2004
Shot on-stage point-blank the back of the head 5x


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 8:54 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 2:03 pm
Posts: 194
Note: This thread was revived by the previous poster. Boots passed away last summer. FWIW I saw him back in the day at his place in Printer's Alley in Nashville. Good guy and player.


Last edited by prolux on Fri May 23, 2008 11:47 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 9:52 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 9:56 am
Posts: 2766
Location: metro Chicago USA
Thanks, Boots, now you're blowing horn, jamming with Charlie Christian and Chet Baker and....


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon May 26, 2008 8:35 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Mar 28, 2008 11:36 am
Posts: 885
Location: South Carolina
i've... never.... heard of him...

R.I.P tho...

_________________
I got nothing.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: PaulLF and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: