R.I.P. Boots Randolph

He was a great player. He will be missed.

sad news; he was truly one of a kind.

Yakety Sax on the Benny Hill show was one of the first Sax parts I tried to learn when i was a kid. RIP Boots my condolences to his family and friends.

He could lay down a mean ballad too. Sad news indeed.

Boots was the reason I started playing sax. I got to meet him, and he was a really nice guy.

The first sax player I knew by name. My parents got his autograph for me when I was young. Still have it.

RIP Boots

He will definitely be missed... This year has been a pretty bad one for us Sax players.
RIP, and know that you have inspired generations, and will continue to inspire for as long as saxes are saxes.

Boots Randolph's passing away

So sad to hear that Boots Randolph has passed away.

Looking at previous posts, I see that I am not the only one he has inspired to play the sax.

I'll miss that sometimes throaty, whimsical, tongue-in-cheek, drippy-sentimental or just plain down-home voice that was distinctly his on that tenor sax ...

Such is his contribution to the constellation of influential sax players in my life ...

Hafuch

what a man

what a man, what a man, what a mighty good man!!
went to a concert in 6th grade and saw Boots with Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer together on one stage. that what was made me want to play the sax. a couple of years later I wrote to boots and asked for some of his music. he personally replied with encouraging words and sent a copy of his " blow like boots" book for no charge.. very inspirational for an 8th grader. went and saw him last year in a small theater in town and got to meet him afterwards as he stayed and signed cd's and chatted with folks. I told him of both the concert and the letter and book and thanked him for everything. told him he really inspired me and that music has enriched my life in many ways. Really glad I got to do that.
his music will live on forever along with the memories of the ones he has touched along his journey here on earth.
Boots, you will be missed. thank you.

Sorry to learn this.

My first weekend in Nashville in 1979, I went downtown to the music store to get some reeds. Boots was in the store passing time with the sales guy. They were talking about mouthpieces. He had just started playing on a Dukoff and he was afraid that players that wanted to sound like him would be switching to Dukoffs too which wouldn't neccessarily work for them. My sax teacher, Johnny Duke had some great tales about Boots. Gona miss him.

Jsax

When a notable player passes I wonder, did he come here,
leave the occasional post? Who won't be speaking up now?

Sleep well Boots.

he was the biggest influence on my playing bar none. we have lost the greatest player of this style .

Boots was a great player. Alot of jazz cats looked down their nose at him but he had great chops and could cover alot of different styles. Including jazz.

Sad news, indeed. Another sax legend passes leaving a lasting legacy of great music and wonderful memories. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this difficult time of loss.

Oh, wow! Hadn't heard this. Boots was also my inspiration for playing sax. Listened to him as a kid and wanted to be just like him. Got to see him when he came to town in the late 70's. Also got to see him at his club on Printer's Alley in Nashville in 1981. Another legend gone. He will truly be missed.

R.I.P. Boots. (And thanks!)

What a shocker! It seems like just a short time ago that I was listening to Yackety Sax on the radio.

Rip Boots Randolph.

On a news site he was quoted:

"Every time I pick the horn up, it's more intriguing to me," he said in 1990. "It satisfies my desire to do whatever I do."

What a great idea, and a great player.

Never realized how often I heard him without knowing who he was on all those classic tunes.

dv

Its hard to believe that his horn now lays quiet in it's case, never to be played quite the same again.
Thank you Boots for everything you have given us.