[Vintage-Audio] Homer Louis Randolph "Boots" SK

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Today we lost the final member of the infamous Nashville trio that were 
highly instrumental in creating what came to be known as the "Nashville 
Sound". Homer Louis Randolph iii, Boots Randolph, the incomparable sax 
player. His signature song has got to be the sensational "Yakety Sax" 
instrumental that rocked the Pop and Country charts in the early sixties.

When Boots first arrived in Nashville, about 1958, he played for Elvis, The 
Everly Brothers, Johnny Tillotson etc. I heard a take when Tillotson was 
recording one of his big hits, "Poetry In Motion", where Boots has a sax 
part right at the start. Tillotson kept losing it and laughing. There was 
nothing funny going on, Boots was playing beautifully, but Tillotson just 
kept breaking into laughter! After several blown takes, he finally got his 
act together and managed to record the song.

When Boots first played for Elvis, he said he was excited. Elvis had just 
gotten out of the Army. Presley loved the Blues and this particular song he 
was doing had a strong Blues flavor to it. They decided it needed a sax 
part, Boots happened to be there leaning on a wall watching Elvis doing his 
late night recording session, and somebody motioned to Boots to come over 
here. So Boots did and they recorded the song. One take for Boots! He nailed 
it perfectly on a single take! Now that is truly amazing, especially doing 
it for Elvis Presley! But being great, and humble, just came natural to 
Boots Randolph.

First we lost Floyd Cramer, the renown piano player who could play "any" 
style of music and sound fabulous. He died on December 31, 1997 at age 
sixty-four. Lung cancer got him. Then we lost Chet Atkins on June 30, 2001. 
He died at home, but I do not know the cause of his death. Finally, we lost 
Homer Louis Randolph, iii today, August 2, 2007.

All three of these men were legends. All three forever left their mark on 
music, not just Country music, but all facets of it. They either produced, 
or played behind, some of the greatest talents of the past century and into 
this one. I seriously doubt if this world will ever be graced by three so 
talented musicians who could work together as they did, remain friends, and 
be forever humble. Truly incredible!

I had a chance to hear all three play together in April of 1968 at Freedom 
Hall in Louisville, Kentucky. Unfortunately for me, I was participating in 
the huge custom auto show at Freedom Hall put on by ISCA, the International 
Show Car Association, and could not leave my car and display to attend their 
concert in the small west wing. The "small" west wing, by the way, only 
seated five thousand people!

It is something that I will regret, for as long as I live.

Let's hear your thoughts and comments on the late, but eternally great, 
Boots Randolph.

Duane W8DBF



Duane Fischer, W8DBF/WPE8CXO
dfischer at usol.com
HHI: Halligan's Hallicrafters International
http://www.w9wze.net
HHRP: Historic Halligan Radio Project
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