Randolph Made Himself Heard With 'Yakety Sax'

Published: Jul 4, 2007

NASHVILLE, TENN. - Boots Randolph, 80, a saxophone player best known for the 1963 hit "Yakety Sax," died Tuesday after being taken off a respirator. He had been hospitalized in a coma since suffering a cerebral hemorrhage June 25.

Randolph played regularly in Nashville nightclubs for 30 years, becoming a tourist draw for the city much like Wayne Newton in Las Vegas and Pete Fountain in New Orleans.

He recorded more than 40 albums and spent 15 years touring with the Festival of Music, teaming with fellow instrumentalists Chet Atkins and Floyd Cramer.

As a session musician, he played on Elvis Presley's "Return to Sender," Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Round the Christmas Tree" and "I'm Sorry," REO Speedwagon's "Little Queenie," Al Hirt's "Java," and other songs including ones by Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash.

He had his biggest solo hit with "Yakety Sax," which he wrote.

"'Yakety Sax' will be my trademark," Randolph said in 1990. "I'll hang my hat on it. It's kept me alive. Every sax player in the world has tried to play it. Some are good; some are awful."

"Yakety Sax" was used on the TV program "The Benny Hill Show" more than two decades after the tune was on the charts.

"It rejuvenated the song," Randolph said in 1990. "So many people know it from the show."

He also was part of the Million Dollar Band on the TV show "Hee Haw."

Randolph was born Homer Louis Randolph in Paducah, Ky., and grew up in the rural community of Cadiz, Ky., where he learned to play music with his family's band.