Died On This Date (December 2, 2014) Bobby Keys / Longtime Rolling Stones Saxophonist

Bobby Keys
December 18, 1943 – December 2, 2014

Bobby Keys was one of the greatest saxophone side men the rock world has ever known.  Born in Lubbock County, Texas, Keys picked up the saxophone at an early age, and by the time he was 15, he was touring with Bobby Vee and Buddy Holly.  Throughout the years, he played on 100s of recordings, along with albums by Lynyrd Skynyrd, George Harrison, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, the Who, Eric Clapton, and Elvis Presley, to name but a few.  But it was with the Rolling Stones that Keys truly made his biggest contributions to popular music.  He can be heard on every Stones album between 1969 and 1974, and from 1980 to their most recent.  He’s also played on nearly every tour since 1970.   His most famous solo is arguably the one he played on “Brown Sugar.”  Suffering from Cirrhosis in later years, Bobby Keys passed away in his home on December 2, 2014.  He was 70.

Thanks to David Plastik for the assist.