Bobby Keys 18.12.43 – 2.12.14

Rolling Stones’ saxophonist Bobby Keys has died.

. . . The musician had been battling liver disease cirrhosis in recent months, and was forced to pull out of the ‘Brown Sugar’ hitmakers’ tour dates in Australia and New Zealand in October.

The Texas native began his music career as a teenager, touring with Buddy Holly and Bobby Vee as a teenager. He befriended the Rolling Stones in 1964, and was later recruited to play on their 1969 album Let It Bleed.

Keys was a mainstay on the British band’s albums until 1974, and reunited with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and pals in 1980 for their Emotional Rescue project. He remained a key player on all subsequent albums, including 2005’s A Bigger Bang. . .