Dead Page: Boots Randolph

BOOTS RANDOLPH 1927-2007

Nashville musician behind 'Yakety Sax'.   Versatile saxophonist. whose trademark song is forever linked to comic Benny Hill, played with Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison


Boots Randolph, whose 1963 recording of "Yakety Sax" brought laughter to many as the theme song for the Benny Hill Show as he was chasing girls around, died July 3rd, in Nashville at age 80.

Starting in the the 1950s, he became part of Nashville's A Team of musicians of session musicians that was responsible for the "Nashville Sound" that blended country with pop music.

He was featured on Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "I'm Sorry" as well as Roy Orbison's "Mean Woman Blues" and "Pretty Woman". He also was on Elvis Presley's first album released after he got out of the army. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is one of my favorite seasonal songs, and "Mean Woman Blues" is my favorite Roy Orbison tune.

He was born Homer Louis Randolph III, on June 3, 1927 in Paducah, KY. His brother called him Boots to avoid confusion with his father.

"Yakety Sax" was inspired by the Coasters' song "Yakety Yak". It caught the attention of Jethro Burns, of Homer and Jethro. who told his brother-in-law, Chet Atkins who then signed Boots to RCA in 1958. RCA did not see him as a solo artist and made him a session player because of his versatility.

He left RCA in 1961 and signed with Monument Records and made a new release of "Yakety Sax" which stayed for a year on the pop charts. Then, it had a new burst of popularity when British comedian Benny Hill used it in his show,

Boots Randolph, in 1990, said, "'Yakety Sax' will be my trademark. I'll hang my hat on it. It's kept me alive."

We've lost a great one. I can hear those sounds right now.

From the July 4, 2007, Chicago Tribune. They got it from the Washington Post.