Bobby Keys
American saxophonist who played on hundreds of recordings from 1956 to 2014.
Sean Birmingham · via Wikipedia: Bobby Keys · CC BY-SA 2.0
Robert Henry Keys (December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014) was an American saxophonist who played in various horn sections throughout the 1970s. His credits include recordings with the Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Harry Nilsson, Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Joe Ely, and many others. He appeared on hundreds of records and worked as a touring musician from 1956 until his death in 2014.
Keys was born at Lubbock Army Airfield near Slaton, Texas. His father, Bill Keys, served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and his mother, Lucy, was 16 when she had him. In 1946, Bill took a job with the Santa Fe Railroad in Belen, New Mexico, and the family moved there, but young Robert stayed with his grandparents in Slaton, an arrangement he enjoyed. Bill and Lucy later had three more children: Gary and twins Debbie and Daryl. Lucy Keys Brubaker eventually became a New Mexico state senator.
Keys began touring at 15 with fellow Texan Buddy Knox. He claimed to have played saxophone on Elvis Presley’s 1962 recording of “Return to Sender.” He also said he befriended Buddy Holly as a teenager, playing with him briefly. “I kind of weaseled my way into the perimeter of the garage,” Keys recalled. “He was the first guy I heard play electric guitar and it impressed the hell out of me.”
He first met the Rolling Stones in 1964 at the San Antonio Teen Fair, where he was playing with Bobby Vee’s band. After reconnecting with the group through mutual friend Gram Parsons, Keys made his debut on a Rolling Stones track with “Live with Me” from *Let It Bleed* in 1969. His tenor saxophone solo on the 1971 hit “Brown Sugar” became one of his most famous performances. He was close friends with Keith Richards, who shared his December 18 birthday. During the Stones’ 1972 American tour, Keys and Richards threw a television from the 10th floor of the Continental Hyatt House in West Hollywood, an incident captured in the unreleased concert film *Cocksucker Blues*. Beyond “Brown Sugar,” Keys was featured prominently on early 1970s Stones songs like “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking,” “Rip This Joint,” and “Sweet Virginia.”
Keys also grew close to Mick Jagger in the early 1970s and served as best man at Jagger’s wedding. He toured with the Stones from 1970 to 1973 alongside trumpeter Jim Price.
- Born
- December 18, 1943
- Died
- December 2, 2014
- Field
- Saxophonist, session musician
- Nationality
- American
- Known for
- Tenor saxophone solo on the Rolling Stones' 'Brown Sugar'; touring and recording with the Rolling Stones, John Lennon, and many others
Lore & Background
Keys was born at Lubbock Army Airfield near Slaton, Texas, where his father was in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He started touring at age fifteen with fellow Texan Buddy Knox. He reportedly played the saxophone on Elvis Presley's 1962 version of 'Return to Sender' and befriended Buddy Holly as a teenager. Keys met the Rolling Stones at the San Antonio Teen Fair in 1964 while sharing a bill as a member of Bobby Vee's band. He made his debut with the Stones on the Let It Bleed track 'Live with Me' in 1969, and his tenor saxophone solo on the 1971 hit 'Brown Sugar' became iconic. Keys and Keith Richards, born on the same day, famously threw a television set from the 10th floor of the Continental Hyatt House during the 1972 American tour. Keys served as best man at Mick Jagger's wedding and toured with the Stones from 1970 to 1973. He was dismissed or left the 1973 European tour amid a dispute over a bathtub filled with Dom Perignon champagne, but later returned for subsequent tours up to his death.
Reader's Guide
Bobby Keys was a quintessential session and touring saxophonist whose career spanned nearly six decades. His most enduring contribution is his tenor saxophone solo on the Rolling Stones' 'Brown Sugar', a defining moment of 1970s rock. Beyond the Stones, Keys played on landmark albums such as George Harrison's All Things Must Pass, John Lennon's Walls and Bridges, and Joe Cocker's Mad Dogs & Englishmen. He participated in Lennon's 'Lost Weekend' sessions in Los Angeles and played on the last known recording session between Paul McCartney and Lennon. Keys also released two solo albums in the 1970s, featuring guests like Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Eric Clapton. His legacy lies in his versatility and the sheer volume of influential recordings he graced, from rock to soft rock, and his long association with the Rolling Stones, with whom he performed until 2013. His memoir and interviews provide firsthand accounts of the excesses and camaraderie of the era, though some details remain disputed.
Did You Know?
- He and Keith Richards were born on the same day and once threw a television set from the 10th floor of the Continental Hyatt House.
- His mother, Lucy Keys Brubaker, became a state senator in New Mexico.
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