R.I.P. Boots Randolph

[DukeCity]

Long career in Nashville. Story Here.

[Christiern]

Many of us booed him during Columbia/CBS Records' annual convention at L.A.'s Century Plaza Hotel in the early Seventies. He led the band for the closing banquet, a gala affair that traditionally featured performances by some of the label's biggest stars. The reason for the boos was his referring to Jim Nabors (who was present) and Rock Hudson as "the dairy queens." It was an out of place and bigoted remark that came close to his being rushed on stage--he was lucky that we only booed.

Frankly, good riddance.

[Dan Gould]

I could never understand why at one used books/music/assorted crap store I used to go to regularly, there was an entire section of Boots Randolph records in the jazz section. I can't imagine that's where his records were placed when Yakkity Sax was on the charts ...

[Randy Twizzle]

The reason for the boos was his referring to Jim Nabors (who was present) and Rock Hudson as "the dairy queens." It was an out of place and bigoted remark that came close to his being rushed on stage--he was lucky that we only booed.

I don't mean to make light of the situation (or maybe I do) but the vision of an enraged crowd trying to defend the honor of Jim Nabors by rushing the stage to attack Boots Randolph and his yakety sax makes me giggle like a school girl.

[Unk]

Anyone heard "Hip Boots"? I'd be interested in anyone else's take on this one. I'll post some thoughts once I listen to it again.

[Big Al]

I could never understand why at one used books/music/assorted crap store I used to go to regularly, there was an entire section of Boots Randolph records in the jazz section. I can't imagine that's where his records were placed when Yakkity Sax was on the charts ...

Often wondered that myself, but then the only reason I'm familiar with him at all is because I watched a lot of Benny Hill when I was growing up.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Big Al

[Christiern]

The reason for the boos was his referring to Jim Nabors (who was present) and Rock Hudson as "the dairy queens." It was an out of place and bigoted remark that came close to his being rushed on stage--he was lucky that we only booed.

I don't mean to make light of the situation (or maybe I do) but the vision of an enraged crowd trying to defend the honor of Jim Nabors by rushing the stage to attack Boots Randolph and his yakety sax makes me giggle like a school girl.

It was not a matter of defending anyone's honor and I didn't mean to imply that the audience was ready to rush the stage, but a couple of performers waiting to go on all but had to be restrained--so I heard. Anyway that one-hit pop saxophone player disgraced himself on that night.

[Big Beat Steve]

Maybe so (and that one hit Yakety Sax can get to be a drag even for those who are all into late 50s/early 60s r'n'r instrumentals), but Boots Randolph sure has his participation in a lot of hit sessions in the country, pop (and maybe even mainstream jazz - of sorts) field to his credit, and that's no mean achievement (like his style or not - I for one don't).

At any rate, "good riddance" under these circumstances is quite uncalled for too.

Offhand there are quite a few other msicians who didn't exactly always behave the way "political correctness" would have expected them to, and yet they are held in high esteem, and there would not be any shortage of excuses for their personal shortcomings .

BTW, who TF is or was Jim Nabors? He certainly is nowhere on the map in the musical/"celebrity" memory outside the States anymore, but Boots Randolph certainly is.

[Christiern]

Dying is something we all do, eventually, and I have never seen any reason why that final event in one's life should be cause for reverence.

The fact that he was a very average sideman on sessions that rose above his talent does not make his demise something to mourn--the fact that our population now has one less bigot could, however, be seen as a good thing, imo.

[7/4]

BTW, who TF is or was Jim Nabors? He certainly is nowhere on the map in the musical/"celebrity" memory outside the States anymore, but Boots Randolph certainly is.

Nabors was Gomer Pyle USMC, a TV show. I think they both rate about the same.

[JSngry]

Jim Nabors also had a long career as a Columbia Records MOR recording artist.

[T.D.]

Yes, a very long musical career. I vaguely recall his music as being kind of the epitome of kitsch (compilation albums were frequently flogged on cheesy late-night TV commercials, and his vocal delivery would get spoofed by comedians to almost Wayne Newton-esque proprtions), but I think it was targeted at older generations (I'm almost 50, fwiw).

Edited July 4, 2007 by T.D.

[Big Al]

Dying is something we all do, eventually, and I have never seen any reason why that final event in one's life should be cause for reverence.

The fact that he was a very average sideman on sessions that rose above his talent does not make his demise something to mourn--the fact that our population now has one less bigot could, however, be seen as a good thing, imo.

I hope that we all have the same kind of open-minded forgiveness upon your passing that you're showing here. Big Beat Steve was right: saying "good riddance" is uncalled for.

[sheldonm]

Dying is something we all do, eventually, and I have never seen any reason why that final event in one's life should be cause for reverence.

The fact that he was a very average sideman on sessions that rose above his talent does not make his demise something to mourn--the fact that our population now has one less bigot could, however, be seen as a good thing, imo.

...please respect that some do.

That said, I know nothing of Randolph with the exception of his hit.

m~

[sheldonm]

Jim Nabors also had a long career as a Columbia Records MOR recording artist.

He performs "Back home again in Indiana" every year at the Indianapolis 500 to the cheers of a few hundred thousand people.

m~

[Christiern]

I express my own feelings and nobody else's--if that goes against your grain, I am sorry. When I make my own departure, I certainly hope that anyone who regards that to be a good thing is not afraid to say so.

[Dan Gould]

Dying is something we all do, eventually, and I have never seen any reason why that final event in one's life should be cause for reverence.

So, for instance, on the Fourth, my Father-In-Law died three days after a massive coronary. If I am called to speak next Tuesday at the service, I should be sure to mention how his leaving his first wife led directly to my wife developing a drinking problem in high school due to the stress of trying to help the family survive when her mom became non-functional, and in his absence, her plan to go to college went out the window, too. After all, if he hadn't split to marry his secretary, my wife's family wouldn't have ended up in Florida and we would have never met. Yeah, I can see why we should take note of every failing in a person's life.

:rolleyes:

[flat5]

BR was a good sax player who found a way to make money entertaining people.

BTW, Yakkity is a very hard tune to play! Nabors is a well trained singer with a big clear voice.

Again, who uses it to entertain people.

I'm a jazz player but I would also like to be able to entertain masses of people :-)

$$$$

[Free For All]

BTW, Yakkity is a very hard tune to play!

[Jazz Kat]

Oh shit, I know this song now! Damn. You can't blame a guy for trying to make a living.

[AllenLowe]

look, the comments about Nabors and Hudson were gross and uncalled for - a schmuck is a schmuck is a schmuck, as the saying goes - it's one thing for his loved ones to mourn him privately, as they should and will; it's another for us to praise his public persona without knowing what he was really like - a dose of truth is always good, so thanks, Chris -

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

July 8, 2007

Dear Boots Randolph,

I just can't take this anymore......

Signed,

Chewy

[Jazz Kat]

look, the comments about Nabors and Hudson were gross and uncalled for - a schmuck is a schmuck is a schmuck, as the saying goes - it's one thing for his loved ones to mourn him privately, as they should and will; it's another for us to praise his public persona without knowing what he was really like - a dose of truth is always good, so thanks, Chris -

What was he really like?

[marcello]

I express my own feelings and nobody else's--if that goes against your grain, I am sorry. When I make my own departure, I certainly hope that anyone who regards that to be a good thing is not afraid to say so.

I've witnessed a few scenes that like before.

It always makes that deadful ceremony a lot more entertaining!

One thing you have to say about Chris, he puts his money where his mouth is!

So to speak.

[Big Beat Steve]

... I do not think ...-that you ought to bring up his darker side. Surely, there must be positive things to say.

If you cannot say anything nice about ... don't speak. That's my advice.

To sum it all up, I guess the two statements above ought to have been the guideline from post #1 both here and over at AAJ (where some apparently encountered Boots Randolph in a way to have something genuinely positive to say - as opposed to some quip that happened some 35 years ago in surroundings that probably were quite different to the way things are today).

Maybe at least in obituary threads like this one this might be a fitting guideline for the occasion - if only as a minimum sign of final respect.

Gay people being the target or not, I repeat what I'll said elsewhere: A lot of persons in the eye of the public (not least of all jazz musicians) do not always behave the way we onlookers would expect them to. Would it have been appropriate e.g. to recall that backstage incident involving Dizzy Gillespie and that female jazz critic (I forget her name - it was discussed here some time ago, and from what I recall it escalated to the point of causing T-Bone Walker who was on the same tour to step in and knock Diz down) in a thread mentioning Dizzy Gillespie's passing?

A lot of people sometimes act in a way that they might regret later - do we all know for sure, that the original subject of this thread never regretted his somewhat cheap joke later on? If in doubt ...

Edited July 9, 2007 by Big Beat Steve