The Late Boots Randolph: Why Saxophonist and His Music Will Never Die

Homer Louis 'Boots' Randolph III is arguably the best saxophonist who ever lived. Boots grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, and began playing at the young age of 16. Creating several signatures for himself, he is especially known for his hit 1963 instrumental hit 'Yakety Sax' featured on the famous 'Benny Hill' series. Randolph had the uncanny ability to draw listeners in with his smooth vibrato and simulated chicken pecking notes, also known as his stuttering style, that ultimately made Boots famous in the country music genre.

This article will review why Randolph's music has immortalized him, despite the music world losing him to a subdural hematoma in July of 2007. Randolph lived to be 80 years old and for over 60 years, his compositions and renditions have brought enjoyment to listeners and musicians alike. Many saxophonists, including myself, want his music to live on, so we try and emulate his unique musical style. 'Try' is the operative word for it takes years of practice to come close to Randolph's style; he has over 40 years of being a solo sax man. And some fun trivia for you sax fans, Boots was the first saxophonist to play for Elvis Presley! Here are just some of his many hits that will live with us for many generations to come.

The famous 'Yakety Sax': The very first time I heard this song I thought there is no way a human being can make a saxophone sound like that! For those of you who have never heard this song, you will hear numerous chicken calls where Boots literally made his sax sound like a chicken. This toe tapper will have listeners in awe as Randolph blends his country roots with an instrument not known to be prevalent in country music, yet, Boots made his own way with his sax in the country genre. 'Yakety Sax' was so popular in the 1960s that the Coasters adopted the idea and made their own 'Yakety Yak, Don't Talk Back' a tune that I'm sure many of us have heard at one point or another. In turn, Boots gives his rendition of the Coasters' hit 'Charlie Brown', where again his staccato signature is embedded. His chicken pecking technique took me years to emulate and it's a lot of fun to see the faces of other sax players when I do it in front of them. The chicken staccato sound is one of the many elements that Boots created to make his name famous and you hear it multiple times in this number one hit. Click on the link and you'll hear why this was a number one hit for Boots!

'King of the Road'. Many musicians and listeners know that Roger Miller sang this classic, but on his 'Best of Boots Randolph' CD is a tame version of my favorite by Boots. Randolph does an absolutely amazing job on this song because he begins very tame and soft, then you hear what seems to be a big band accompanying him, and then towards the end, he shows his theoretical and improvisational talents when he takes the melody and completely turns it into his own tune. Additionally, another favorite signature of Boots is his clear ability to hit the notes that are off the chart, also known in the music world as altissimo notes. Typically a sax will have the lower B flat to the high F sharp. Boots goes well beyond that high F sharp, and this technique is not easy at all for saxophonists to master, but is necessary for saxophonists to learn because it expands their ability to play. This is just a fun song to listen to, another toe tapper.

'Stardust'. This beautiful ballad, first recorded in 1927, has been around for a number of years. Many singers and instrumentalists have this song in their repertoire and for good reason. Boots shows his versatility with this song for as you listen, you can hear his strong vibrato and smooth tone on his tenor sax. He keeps this song simple because the song itself can be a complicated one to play, yet it is just as enjoyable to listen to as his many other hits.

'Cacklin Sax'. A Boots original, this song easily fits into the country genre and is similar to his 'Yakety Sax' and is actually found on his 'Yakety Sax' album. This is just another fun song to listen to as your mind will be in awe of the uncanny ability of Boots. He really was a master of his instrument and his technique shines through this song. Despite learning how to play 'Yakety Sax', I have yet to learn this one and I have been playing my alto sax for 14 years!

'When the Saints Go Marching In'. A favorite song down south, Boots again shows his versatility with this one. A simple tune in the key of C, you can pretty much improvise beyond eternity and it is a really fun song for musicians to play. Boots has an album called 'Sunday Sax' where there are many religious songs that he plays including: 'The Lord's Prayer' and 'Peace in the Valley'. 'When the Saints Go Marching In' is also on this album, and rightly so. Boots shows his country Kentucky roots on this one and just has fun.

Boots has recorded so many songs in his lifetime and certainly left us music fans and musicians a repertoire that appeals to all. While preserving his country heritage, his songs embrace who Boots was as a person, a true musician who generously gave us a part of himself. While Boots, the man, has passed on, Boots the musician will be with us forever. As long as there are musicians like myself, and there are many including saxophonists Jim Hoke and Dennis Solee, Randolph's music immortalizes the man who has left us.