Boots Randolph, whose spirited saxophone playing
on songs like the Benny Hill theme "Yakety Sax"
made him one of Nashville's top musicians, died
Tuesday. He was 80.
Randolph suffered a cerebral haemorrhage June 25
and had been 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
music-obsessed 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.
In 1963 he had his biggest solo hit, "Yakety
Sax," which he wrote.
See tribute to Boots Medley
Source: Elvismatters
Posted: 5th. July 2007
