Bobby Keys

Written by Randy Patterson

Posted April, 2012




Bobby Keys With the Stones in 2003. Courtesy of Jane Rose/BobbyKeys.net

I’ve been a Rolling Stones fan since my teen years in the seventies. Tunes like Brown Sugar and Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ (along with many other Stones tunes) commanded my attention on so many levels – especially the sax solos.

Since those days, the sax figured prominently in other favorite Stones tunes like Miss You, the live version of Going To A Go-Go, to name a couple. Because of my appreciation of those solos, I became very aware of the man behind that sax: Bobby Keys

What I wasn’t aware of until recent years – and especially until I read Keys’ autobiography, Every Night’s A Saturday Night, was the long list of other rock and roll royalty and their iconic tunes that he’s played on. Musical monsters like B.B. King, Carly Simon, Delaney & Bonnie, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, John Lennon, Joe Cocker and many, many, many others. Saturday Night is a wonderful read and you can catch the Boomerocity review of it here. But it bears repeating that the tone and feel of the book is very conversational. You get the feeling that you’re chillin’ in Bobby’s TV room, shootin’ the breeze and listening to him share a ton of stories of his life in the business.

I recently called up Bobby at his Nashville area home. It was my first time to have the privilege of chatting with him. His warm, Texas/Southern drawl told me that he’s the kind of person that I can immediately connect with. He’s as country as cornbread and never meets a stranger – my kind of people.

As we got down to starting our chat, I asked Keys how he liked Nashville.

“Ah, man, I love the town! It’s just a rotten place for saxophone players – but I LOVE the town, I really do! I like the people that live here and I have a lot friends that live here. There’s just not a lot of sax biz that goes on here. That’s nothing personal against me. Ha! Ha!”

As we set the stage for what the chat would cover, I mentioned that I would not ask if his main gig, The Rolling Stones, were going to tour or not. I was startled that he gave me a comment about it anyway.

“Boy, I hope they do! I tell ya what, I really hope they do! I honestly don’t know. I found that it’s best for me not to speculate – especially publicly. Every time I think that they’re gonna jump left, they jump right. I just had one little brief line from Keith. He just said that he’ll let me know. That’s the extent of it. I’ve learned after all these years – you know, I’ve been playing with the band since, I don’t know, ’69 – forty-three years – and in that time I’ve learned that speculation about what those guys are gonna do is no way, really, to base your future on what you think they’re gonna do. I think there’s a good possibility of it, are my own thoughts on it. I hope so!”

We shifted our attention to Bobby’s book. Since the book is a tales-from-the-road kind of tome – sharing all sorts of funny stories, I asked him what the reaction has been to it.

“Well, so far, it’s been really good. I went to New York about ten days ago and did a gig there with my band and also did a lot of media – some radio, interviews and stuff. It’s all been really, really good! When I finished speaking into a microphone – I didn’t do I any writing – you always wonder, ‘Well, I wonder what is gonna come of this – how are people going to receive it?’

“It’s been very rewarding to me because I’ve had nobody come back at me – except one guy said that there wasn’t enough sex and drugs in it. The thing of it is is that scene has been pounded into the ground for years and years and years by everybody that’s ever written a book about the Rolling Stones. But most of them knew very little about the Rolling Stones. The thing that I like about the Stones is playin’ with them! I love their music and that’s what I wanted to talk more about in the book than anything else was the music.”

When I commented about all the people he’s worked with over the years such as Buddy Holly, Bonnie Bramlett and a whole bunch of others, I told him that he struck me as the friggin’ Forrest Gump of rock and roll. He cackled out laughing and said, “Now there’s a hell of an analogy! That’s funnier ‘n hell!” Then, obviously turning to his wife who was in the room with him, he said, “He just called me the Forrest Gump of rock and roll! Ha! Ha! Ha!”

After having a good laugh, I asked Forrest – er – Bobby who hasn’t he worked with that either he wishes he had before they passed away or, if they’re still alive, want to work with?

“Well, you know, that’s a very good question. I’d like to work with Stevie Wonder – LOVE his music, you know? I’d love to work with more of the Motown acts, too. But, you know, I’m really pretty happy with what’s happened and what’s happened has really been kinda the left hand of God puttin’ me through a lot of this stuff. I never really planned out any master scheme to achieve what I’ve achieved. I’ve just been in the right place at the right time with a saxophone and was able to do pretty much what needed to be done. It’s just the feel of the music and the way rock and roll had an impact on me.

“When I heard Buddy Holly playing that guitar on the back of that flatbed wagon and Joe B. up there playin’ bass and J.I. playin’ drums, man! That had an impact on me. I fell into the saxophone by accident. It didn’t start out that way. I got hurt playing baseball and I couldn’t play football so I went into the band and all that jazz. Somebody else has been pullin’ the strings – I’ve just been dancin’! Ha! Ha!”

Since I’m real partial to the great Bonnie Bramlett, I was stunned to read in Saturday Night that she was one of those originally considered for the female solo on Gimme Shelter. I told Keys that I would have spent his last tour check to have heard her sing that – not that Merry Clayton was any slouch on her solo, of course. That revelation prompted to ask, Bobby if, from where he sits, there any one thing that he feels should have been done majorly different on a Stones song and, if it had, would’ve changed rock history as we know it?

“Huh! Well, I’ve never considered it but, personally, I’ve agreed pretty much what the Stones have done – at least during the times I’ve been recording with them and the tracks that I’ve played on - and, of course, with Jim Price. He was a big part of that, too! But, as for the Stones, one of the things I’ve always tried to get them to do is I’ve always wanted them to do an instrumental and put it on one of their albums. It was never seriously considered. I seriously considered it but the minute it got it out of my mouth the laughter didn’t die down for about two hours!

“But, nah, I don’t think there’s anything that I would go back and change, particularly. But I tell ya, the way I play, I play a lot off of the other musicians. I listen to other elements – what the guitar is doing rhythmically. I’ll play along with that. I’ll pick something out of that strata or that level. I’m very much a rhythmic saxophone player so playing with the Rolling Stones is really fun for me!”

Keys says in his book that he always viewed Keith Richards as a kindred spirit – that, if he wasn’t born in England, he would’ve had to be a Texan. I asked him to expound on that just a bit. He was laughing his genuine, infectious laugh as he said, “Well, I had him made an honorary Texan. I had the Texas flag flown over the Alamo on the day of his and mine birthday (they both have the same birth day). I knew some people in Texas who were associated with the Texas Historical Society so I had them fly the Texas flag over the Alamo on December the 18th, got it documented and sent it to Keith, hoping it would finally induce him to take into consideration about coming down to Dallas and joining the team! Ha! Ha!”

Since we were on the subject of Keef, I asked Bobby what the least understood thing is about the Stones guitarist. Without even a nanosecond of hesitation Bobby said, “His temperament. This is a guy, man, that goes out of his way to save the life of a little stray dawg in Russia. Keith is portrayed as a dark person, more or less and he’s anything but that! He’s one of the funniest sumbitches I’ve ever known in my life, man!

“Some people look at him as having his blood changed at some Transylvanian medieval castle, you know? Those people are not going to believe anything I say. I mean, I’ve met people in bars in hotels we’ve stayed and they’ll go, ‘How about that Keith Richards thang? Were you with him when he had his blood changed?’ and I’d go, “No, man, the guy didn’t have his blood changed!’ They’d say, ‘Ah, man, you can’t say anything about it, huh?’ It doesn’t make any difference how many times I say somethin’ ain’t right, they ain’t gonna believe me anyway. But the guys a sweetheart and chicks dig him for some reason! They really like him - chicks and critters! Ha! Ha!”


A Boomerocity reader wondered how it worked out that Keith just let Bobby write his own side of the stories in Keith’s book - like maybe, Keith, "Hey Bobby, man I don't remember any of that, here why don't you write the story?" Here’s Keys’ take on how that all happened.

“He’s got a hideaway sort of place down in Turks and Caicos Islands and the writer, James Fox, was going down there to talk to Keith. I was asked to go down there. I spent five days down there. Keith would be in the same room. I’m not bashful, man. James Fox just asked me questions and I gave him answers. Keith didn’t say anything like, ‘No, I’d rather you not say this. Maybe not touch on that.’ He didn’t say anything about what I said. He said, ‘Just talk to James Fox and tell him whatever he wants to know.’ And that’s exactly what I did! I answered James Fox’s questions and we spent a lot of time talking over a period of a couple of days.

“But it’s easy to talk about Keith. He’s a pretty memorable fella! I’ve been around him sometimes when it got very memorable but the thing I remember about him and the most important thing is that he’s the most honest sumbitch and the best damn guitar player. I love playing music with Keith! He’s just got a feel for it that I can really relate to.”

Success and failure are often determined by the opportunities grabbed or passed on and Bobby has certainly jumped at lots of great opportunities that have brought him to where he is today. Is there a particular song or album that he had a chance to work on and, for whatever reason, didn’t or couldn’t and now looks back and says, “Crap!”

“Well, shoot! Let’s see. Well, of course, during the recording of Exile on Main Street, George Harrison did his Concert for Bangladesh gig. Jim Price and I had played on the All Things Must Pass album from which he (Harrison) took most of the material to play at that concert. Anyway, he invited Jim and I to go play at the concert. I thought it was for a real good cause and I wanted to go do it and Jim wanted to go do it but we had already obligated ourselves to work there in the South of France. I would’ve always liked to have been there for that. It’s not like a great big, huge hole in my life because I wasn’t. I was having a pretty good time down in the South of France.

“Also, not that it ever would’ve happened, I would’ve liked to have played some live stuff with John Lennon. I really loved him - and Harry Nilsson! I tried and tried and tried to get Harry to do a live gig but he was dead-set against it. He never did do a live gig. He did one video.”

Bringing a little levity to the conversation (as if we needed any more), I interjected that, according to his book, he did manage to provide a frog sound on one of Yoko Ono’s albums to which he chuckled, “Oh, yeah, man, that was indeed a red letter day! There, again, man, some hand of Providence touched me there because I had no idea what I was gonna do. I was looking at John like, ‘Hey, man, give me some feedback here, son! Help me!’ He just looked at me and rolled his eyes like, ‘You got this one all by yourself, Bobby!’

During my recent interview with Keys’ fellow Stones band mate, Chuck Leavell, I told him that I was working on an interview with Keys. He had this to say about Bobby and his book: “Bobby is a great friend of mine. We are ‘Southern Brothers’ - he from Texas and me from Alabama. We talk a lot about both on tour and off. I'm so glad he is getting his story out there. It is a remarkable story. He has played with so many icons . . . John Lennon, Bonnie and Delaney, The Stones, the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and so much more. He has so many great experiences to tell about. I can't wait to get my copy!”

At the time of my chat with Keys, I hadn’t yet these comments with him. However, I asked him what his thoughts were of the Stones keyboardist.

“Oh, yeah, I’ve got lots of good thoughts about Chuck! One thing is he’s a brother from the south! So, we’re both brothers of the Confederacy. Heh! Heh! I believe that the earth is a southern planet! Ha! Ha!

“Before I met Chuck I knew his name and was aware of his work, man! He stepped into some pretty big shoes and just by virtue of the fact that was, more or less, recommended by Ian Stewart – whose opinion really resonates with all the members of the Stones, I can tell you that – or it did before Stu died. Chuck stepped into a situation, man, where he had a lot of bases to cover that hadn’t been covered before. All of a sudden he was actually the musical director on the stage. He was the one that was in charge of going in and making sure that the songs were the correct tempo and that everybody started and ended at the same place which, generally, didn’t take a whole lot. But he brought together a lot of people. It’s a big band. I think there’s 13 or 14 of us counting the singers and horn players. Chuck has to walk a pretty tight line, sometimes, between the camps of Keith and Mick. He’s very much a southern diplomat to be able to do that because many have tried and few were successful.”

With a well received book now under his belt and waiting to hear if the bad boys of rock and roll are going to tour, I asked Bobby if he was going to come out with a solo CD.

“Yeah, well, actually, the guys I play with here in town – we call ourselves The Suffering Bastards – we’ve been into the studio. We’ve got four tracks that we’ve recorded and we’re probably going to be doing some more future gigs we’ll be having a CD available pretty soon online and at the gigs we play.”

And when Keys boards that great tour plane to heaven, what does he hope his legacy will be and how does he want to be remembered?

“A guy who loved rock n’ roll music.”

It’s Bobby Keys’ love of rock and roll music that has allowed him to be a lively part of the soundtrack of our youth that continues to play to this very day. Somehow, I have this sneakin’ hunch – I just know it in my knower – that Bobby is going to be on many more great rock tunes to come.


[boomerocity.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-18 03:19 by exilestones.

NICE read …..lovely words from Bobby …………. fanks exile …..



ROCKMAN

Nice read, though Mel Collins might wish to point out Bobby wasn't the man behind the sax on "Miss You" and Ernie Watts might wish to have a word about "Going to a Go-Go," one of many forgotten 1980s hits for the Stones.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-18 02:02 by Rocky Dijon.

RIP Bobby—

To stir an old pot:
‘He’s got a hideaway sort of place down in Turks and Caicos Islands and the writer, James Fox, was going down there to talk to Keith. I was asked to go down there. I spent five days down there. Keith would be in the same room. I’m not bashful, man. James Fox just asked me questions and I gave him answers. Keith didn’t say anything like, ‘No, I’d rather you not say this. Maybe not touch on that.’ He didn’t say anything about what I said. He said, ‘Just talk to James Fox and tell him whatever he wants to know.’ And that’s exactly what I did! I answered James Fox’s questions and we spent a lot of time talking over a period of a couple of days.’

My question: Did Keith invite Mick to Turks for his stories? Did Mr. Fox interview Mick? I don’t think so.

BOBBY KEYS steals the show live w/Black Crowes & Dan Baird - Mercy Lounge Nashville TN

VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]



Bobby's humor, comradery, and talent is evident in this
short video montage as he performs live with fellow
musicians from the Black Crows and Dan Baird from
The Georgia Satellites.

VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]

Bobby Keys Band performing john lennon's whatever gets you through the night.





MORE: [www.youtube.com]

IS there a list of songs Bobby played on?

VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]

Bobby Keys' "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" Solo Live in 2013




Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Published on Dec 4, 2014

On October 26, 2013, a once-in-a-lifetime collection of musicians gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, for the Rock Hall's Music Masters tribute to the Rolling Stones. That evening's concert at the Playhouse Square State Theater was anchored by a group of top flight musicians who have performed with the Rolling Stones over their 50-year career and contributed to shaping the band’s extraordinary sound.

Grammy Award-winning drummer Steve Jordan led the house band as musical director, assembling a group of critically-acclaimed musicians, including 2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee Ian McLagan.

McLagan had played on the Rolling Stones' Some Girls album and toured with the group in 1978, 1981 and 1982.

Among the incredible performers sharing the stage with McLagan that night was the incomparable Bobby Keys, the legendary sax player for Elvis Presley, Joe Cocker, B.B. King and others, including the Rolling Stones. Keys had been recording and touring with the Rolling Stones since 1970, appearing on Let It Bleed, Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main Street, Goats Head Soup, Emotional Rescue and several live albums.

In the clip above, Bobby Keys delivers a fiery solo during a jam on the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers cut "Can't You Hear Me Knocking?" and Ian McLagan plays the keys while Chuck D. of Public Enemy urges on the crowd. Who else do you recognize?

Since 1996, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's education department has produced the annual Music Masters event. Each year, the series explores the legacy of one of those pioneering figures in a range of events that includes Museum exhibits, lectures, films, a major conference and a tribute concert benefiting the Rock Hall’s education department. Drawing together music experts, artists, fans and friends, these events aim to provide new perspectives on some of the most beloved and influential musicians of the past century. Learn more about Music Masters and the work of the Rock Hall's education department: [rockhall.com]...

VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]




Excellent Bobby Keys Sax Solo "Miss You" Rolling Stones Babylon tour.


Does anyone know which show this clip comes from?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-18 03:15 by exilestones.

VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]

Honky Tonk from his solo project is one of my favourite songs and not (yet) available on CD.

"Good people, permit me to opine- Joe Cocker Mad Dogs & Englishmen had Bobby on 'Intro/ Honky Tonk Women' & 'The Letter' [among others] and it was not only Keys best, but right up there with greatest of the great from the 1970s!"




1970 VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]

Bobby at apx 1:40

Bobby Keys on my 1982 Leeds CD, particularly
‘Beast of Burden’
slays me.
The best of the best.

Bobby is missed a great deal.
His playing on key numbers live is missed a great deal.
He and his playing will never be forgotten.

Met him once in Vegas after a Stones show at the MGM, and I'll never forget his huge smile. 100% pure legend.

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......

Quote
35love
Bobby Keys on my 1982 Leeds CD, particularly
‘Beast of Burden’
slays me.
The best of the best.

Agree it's terrific, but isn't that Gene Barge on "Beast of Burden?"

Met Bobby a number of times …. always full-on jovial....
Even hung with his Lubbock mate "Stroker" in Paris last year …. another funny cat



ROCKMAN

Quote
35love
My question: Did Keith invite Mick to Turks for his stories? Did Mr. Fox interview Mick? I don’t think so.

You don't interview the punchline or it spoils the joke. And no, I'm not picking on Mick. I'm not a fan of LIFE and it did a lot to make me stop holding Keith up for canonization as an unlikely saint.

Quote
Rockman
Met Bobby a number of times …. always full-on jovial....
Even hung with his Lubbock mate "Stroker" in Paris last year …. another funny cat

There are so many stories I'd wish you'd share, but I understand why you don't. Maybe when all is said and done we'll get a Rockman memoir.

Was that the infamous Stroker from the Honeymoon Tapes?

"Stroker" was a really funny cat who I met at the Four Seasons Paris ….
We hit it off straight away …. He was sitting out in the garden court yard area of hotel one night..... He grinned at me and I said Geeeez man you look Bobby Keyes

Bobby Keyes!!!.... MAN I grew up with him and away the conversation went
We mainly talked blues... Stones...and Bobby...


Told me he'd known Bobby all his life...and he'd been a guest of his on Stones tours since the 70's …. Knew all the roadies etc

"Stroker" was a little fragile...had trouble walking and was staying at the Four Seasons and though I didn't wanna be rude and ask I got the feeling that Keith was looking after him if ya know what I mean ….



ROCKMAN

Maybe when all is said and done we'll get a Rockman memoir.


Okay Bill you can be my James Fox ………

Book'll be called --- Drinking With Clowns ………



ROCKMAN

I had the chance to sit with Bobby in 1995 at then, The Regent in Auckland, strong security on the door, but being well dressed i said i come to check in, i just wanted to wait in the lobby to see if anyone came down pre show. Sure enough Daryl, Lisa and Bernard went out the doors to sign for fans, so cool of them, my friend got all three.

I just waited and kept looking at the elevators, and out walked Bobby and towards the Lobby Bar, he took a stool and by the time i grabbed up the courage to approach him he was sipping on his coffee. I waited took a stool, two away, he looked up and smiled, i the same, then i ordered my coffee

(oh prior to this i had gotten pad and pen from the concierge, after saying i needed to make some quick notes).

Then it happened, Excuse me Mr Key's but i'd just like to say that I love your playing, thank you for the music. He stood shook my hand and said, In his Lubbock Drawl, "well that's mighty kind of you young man are you going to the show?" "Yes Sir, i got great tickets and can't wait and could i ask for your Autograph"...

He signed Bobby Keys - Rolling Stones 1995.

He made my afternoon, The Band made my night..

Lovely stories, all.

Quote
Rocky Dijon

Quote
35love
Bobby Keys on my 1982 Leeds CD, particularly
‘Beast of Burden’
slays me.
The best of the best.

Agree it's terrific, but isn't that Gene Barge on "Beast of Burden?"

Maybe LOL

Quote
Rocky Dijon

Quote
35love
My question: Did Keith invite Mick to Turks for his stories? Did Mr. Fox interview Mick? I don’t think so.

You don't interview the punchline or it spoils the joke. And no, I'm not picking on Mick. I'm not a fan of LIFE and it did a lot to make me stop holding Keith up for canonization as an unlikely saint.

I always pictured Mr. Fox and Mr. Richards in CT writing this book,
the Turks was new
I was joking about Mick being interviewed personally
no way no how
closed door
I’d say.

Quote
35love

Quote
Rocky Dijon

Quote
35love
Bobby Keys on my 1982 Leeds CD, particularly
‘Beast of Burden’
slays me.
The best of the best.

Agree it's terrific, but isn't that Gene Barge on "Beast of Burden?"

Maybe LOL

I have the DVD’s but never view I am 95% audio only.
Nor do I keep CD jackets handy.
I could swear it’s Bobby.

Oh rats guess I’m gonna have to play the Leeds DVD
‘Beast of Burden’ tomorrow
to check myself
woo hooo
To Bobby Keys or should I say his book said he gave up the drink but sure was helped by cannabis xxoo

Quote
exilestones
IS there a list of songs Bobby played on?

There's a selected list of his recordings on his autobiography Every Night's a Saturday Night: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Legendary Sax Man Bobby Keys. I'll try to post a scan tomorrow, if I can.

Quote
Cristiano Radtke

Quote
exilestones
IS there a list of songs Bobby played on?

There's a selected list of his recordings on his autobiography Every Night's a Saturday Night: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Legendary Sax Man Bobby Keys. I'll try to post a scan tomorrow, if I can.

The list would be appreciated. I remember loving a Leo Sayer song. I didn't know why I liked it so much. Decades later I found out that it was Bobby on Sax!


VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]


LEO SAYER-When I Need You
apx 2:08

Quote
exilestones

Quote
Cristiano Radtke

Quote
exilestones
IS there a list of songs Bobby played on?

There's a selected list of his recordings on his autobiography Every Night's a Saturday Night: The Rock 'n' Roll Life of Legendary Sax Man Bobby Keys. I'll try to post a scan tomorrow, if I can.

The list would be appreciated. I remember loving a Leo Sayer song. I didn't know why I liked it so much. Decades later I found out that it was Bobby on Sax!


VIDEO: [www.youtube.com]


LEO SAYER-When I Need You
apx 2:08

I never knew this... one of my Mum's fave's... i'll email her right now

Bobby Keys on the gem
‘Whatever Gets You Through The Night’
[m.youtube.com]
fantastic tune of all time

Delaney and Bonnie and Friends (including Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Bobby Keys, et al.)

Delaney & Bonnie - Comin' Home (Live)

_____________________________________________________________
Rip this joint, gonna save your soul, round and round and round we go......