Benny Hill sax player dies at 80

Yakety Sax was Boots Randolph's biggest solo hit

Saxophonist Boots Randolph, who was best known for playing Benny Hill's signature tune Yakety Sax, has died in the US aged 80.

Randolph, who was born Homer Louis, had been in a coma since suffering a cerebral haemorrhage last month.

His publicist Betty Hofer said he was taken off a respirator at Skyline Medical Center in Nashville.

As a session musician he worked with artists such as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and Brenda Lee.

He co-wrote Yakety Sax, which went on to become his biggest solo hit, with guitarist James Rich.

Speaking to the Associated Press in 1990 he said: "Yakety Sax will be my trademark. I'll hang my hat on it. It's kept me alive. Every sax player in the world has tried to play it. Some are good, some are awful."

He also was part of the Million Dollar Band on the US TV show Hee Haw.

"He not only played just the notes, he caressed them," said long-time co-host Roy Clark.

"You could hear the words to his instrumentals," he added.

He leaves a wife, a son, a daughter and four grandchildren.