Remember Boots Randolph

This Article originally appeared at my Moon In The Gutter on 07/04/07 to mark Boot's passing.

Legendary saxophonist Boots Randolph passed away yesterday at the age of 80. Boots was born just down the road a bit from me in Paducah, Kentucky and is probably best known for his monster hit, YAKETY SAX. I was supposed to see Boots live again in just a month or so at the big 30th Anniversary Elvis In Concert in Memphis. The couple of times I did get to see him live were always very exciting as he remained an incredible player even well into his seventies.
My favorite Boots Randolph moment comes on RECONSIDER BABY, the final track on the stunning ELVIS IS BACK album. Driven by Elvis’ own rhythm guitar playing and ferocious vocal, Boots delivered one of the great X-Rated sounding Sax solos in rock history. 46 years after it was recorded, RECONSIDER BABY still sounds as fresh and amazing as the day that it was first hit the streets. Elvis and Boots would continue recording throughout the sixties and Randolph featured on several of Elvis’ most underrated recordings from the period, including fantastic cuts like KING OF THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD and IT’S A LONG LONELY HIGHWAY.
Boots also played with many of the most legendary music figures of the sixties and seventies and recorded many fine solo albums. He was a musical force and a true original…my best to his family and friends.