Boots Randolph – In Session - Various Artists
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Boots Randolph – In Session
Jasmine Records (2025) https://jasmine-records.co.uk/
Reviewed by Jack Brown June 2025
Review
Another in the ever-growing library of IN-Session releases from the ever-reliable Jasmine Records label. This time they turn their attention to Homer ‘Boots’ Randolph. Born in Kentucky on June 3rd 1927, & passed away on July 3rd, 2007, in his musical home of Nashville. He started out on the trombone but eventually turned to playing the sax. He served & played music in the United States Army during the war & played in Kentucky until locating to Nashville in 1957. Chet Atkins signed him to RCA-Victor in 1958. His initial release met with little success, but they realized his potential to be a great session musician. & boy did that turn out to be true. He became part of the Nashville A-Team, who played on all the great records cut there in the early 60s, Elvis, Orbison, Brenda Lee etc. His sax playing can be heard on countless recordings, more than 30 of which are present here. Most British listeners will be familiar of his work via Yakety Sax, better known to us as the Benny Hill theme. Yes, it’s on this disc, closing out the selection. So, let’s look at what else we get.
Unlike other session releases, most of the artists here are well-known names, after all Nashville was a hit-making machine in the years covered here, primarily the early 60s. Names don’t get much bigger than Elvis, for who we get three titles. Two from the classic Bill Porter engineered Elvis Is Back album, both covers, the fabulous Like A Baby, & one of the finest Blues in Reconsider Baby. We also get another cover, his 1961 version of Chuck Willis’ I Feel So Bad, UK no.4 & U.S. no.5, it should have been bigger as it’s fantastic. Boots is all over these recordings & sounds magnificent. We also got three tracks from Brenda Lee, all mid-tempo numbers. If I’m Dreaming Just Let Me Dream is a nice track that could be a slow stroller. Wee Wee Willies & Be My Love Again are really nice tracks too, Brenda always sounds much older than her years, whilst still sounding young if that makes any sense at all. You’ll see here that, although many of the artists are big names, sometimes left-field choices are made for the song selections. The big O gets three. Today’s Teardrops, a delightful pop number, opened the disc; it was the flip of Blue Angel. We also get his version of Don Gibson’s I’ll Be A Legend In mY Time & one of his most beautiful ballads, I’ll Say It’s My Fault. Really great choices & all engineered again by Bill Porter. Connie Francis gets, you guessed it, three tracks. Her classic 1962 hit Vacation, which has Boots’ playing all over it, is joined by her spirited take of I’m Moving On, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would. We also get Connie singing Hollywood, a perfectly pleasant pop number. The killer, Jerry Lee, provides two tracks, great versions of Good Golly Miss Molly & Money. Both tracks were released as singles on Sun, cut during his early 60s R&B phase, cut at Sam Phillips other studio, not at 706 Union. Another Sun artist Carl Perkins provides two tracks, though these were cut after he left Sun & joined Columbia. Hambone is a great rocker & Sister Twister offers us something different. Johnny Preston gives us the classic top 20 hit Feel So Fine, as well as the club’s favorite Charming Billy. It’s not all white artists. Clyde McPhatter gives us his take on Bobby Mitchell/Fats Domino’s I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday, which rocks along nicely. Clyde was such a great singer. Brook Benton gives us Send For Me, a good track in his usual style. Bobby Bare gives us To Whom It May Concern, a lovely Country weepy I didn’t previously know. We get the classic UK no.1 from Johnny Tillitson, poetry In motion, & Conway Twitty gives us a spirited rendering of Chuck Berry’s Reelin & Rockin. There’re nice instrumentals from Floyd Crammer, Chet Atkins & Boots himself. We also get a forgotten UK top 20 hit from Hank Locklin, We’re Gonna Go Fishing. Not quite sure how this cracked the top 20 over here, but it brought a smile to my face & I enjoyed it more than I remembered.
Overall, this is a great tribute to Boots Randolph & early 60s Nashville. A nice selection of RnR, Country & irresistible Pop. It shows Boots’ versatility perfectly, he can rock when needed, blow some impressive Blues, & be more mellow on the ballads. A really strong release Jasmine, keep ‘em coming.
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