The Steel Guitar Forum

my son's been sitting in with my honky-tonk band on tenor sax. as we like to say, he's putting the "honk" in honky-tonk.

he asked me for some examples of sax in country music, but aside from Merle Haggard I can't think of too much else.

any suggestions?

Yakety-Axe? Boots Randolph and also done by Chet Atkins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcq_xLi2NGo

"Eye Of A Hurricane" by John Anderson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrnxEllDWH4
(bad sound)

Check out some of Merle Haggard's music. "It's All in the Movies", e.g.

Jerry Overstreet wrote:Check out some of Merle Haggard's music. "It's All in the Movies", e.g.

but aside from Merle Haggard I can't think of too much else.

I guess Scott already knew that, Jerry

Go back to the old days of Johnny Cash (ring of Fire) Spade Cooley, Bob Wills. Other than Hag in modern times I don't recall anyone else who carried a Sax like he did and still does.

Right now I'm listening to ''Loudmouth'' recorded by the Modern Mountaineers in 1937.

Fabulous tenor sax by Hal Herbert, and, J.C.Way is in the band too, although no solo on this piece. There 10 tracks in all on this 4 CD compilation from JSP Records from the UK.

I just looked at disc #1 and there is included the famous 14 pieces by Ocie Stockard, also recorded in 1937. The wonderful understated trumpet playing of Harry Palmer is also featured on most tracks.

Joachim Kettner wrote:

Jerry Overstreet wrote:Check out some of Merle Haggard's music. "It's All in the Movies", e.g.

but aside from Merle Haggard I can't think of too much else.

I guess Scott already knew that, Jerry

Yeah, sorry. Didn't read very thoroughly did I? Don't do much very well at 5:00 a.m.

Not pure country, but country pop played on the country stations back in the /80's.....Dan Seals, "Bop". I'm sure there's a ton of 'em.

Of course, Asleep at the Wheel has often had a sax player in the band.

Check Ace Cannon's
~> discography for
country content.
~Russ

I double on Steel and Sax in the band. It works well for me. Saxophone will fit in almost any song, but really well in the swing stuff. I play instrumentals on Sax that go over too, Always on My Mind, I can't stop Loving You and Tuff just to name a few. Here's a link to my band's YouTube so you can check it out: http://www.youtube.com/user/girlindehood

Encourage him!

Doug

Check out any Hank Williams Jr live album; Jimmy Hall has been playing tenor sax (and harmonica) in his bands for over 20 years and still does.

I think Jim Murphy played some tenor sax on Johnny Paycheck's live record.

Reba McEntire and T Graham Brown both used a great tenor player, Joe McGlohon, on the road in the 90's and used him on some of their records, and The Oak Ridge Boys had one before that...

"Ring of Fire" and similar Johnny Cash songs are all just "mariachi" trumpets I'm pretty sure... But his "Orange Blossom Special" from 1965 has a Boots Randolph tenor solo.

thanks for the replies guys... keep 'em coming!

i forgot Jim Murphy played sax too. what a monster.

Eddie Kilgallon, former keyboardist for the band Ricochet was also a saxophone player-he played keyboards, he sang, played acoustic guitar, and saxophone. I remember at a Jo Dee Messina/Vince Gill concert, Jo Dee played saxophone, in addition to guitar, piano, and drums. At Dollywood, there was a saxophone player named Dale Puckett.

Glenn "Blub" Rhees was with Bob Wills for a number of
years. His blend of sax with Gene Crownover's steel
guitar was really unique.

Go Babs Go!

CLICK HERE.

Crystal Gayle's bandleader plays mostly soprano and some alto. Fits her style very well. Apologies to him that I can't recall the name at the moment.

Check out the Country Boots cd by Boots Randolph.

It is chock a block with country songs and sax.

Send it folks!!

How about Sax & Pedal Steel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfuM1w_28KY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn0a4bzyDqk

Sounds like Toy Caldwell played a Maccaferri style guitar on the first track.