cover image Every Night's a Saturday Night: The Rock %E2%80%98n' Roll Life of Legendary Sax Man Bobby Keys

Every Night's a Saturday Night: The Rock %E2%80%98n' Roll Life of Legendary Sax Man Bobby Keys

Bobby Keys, with Bill Ditenhafer. Counterpoint (PGW, dist.), $25 (280p) ISBN 978-1-58243-783-5

Bobby Keys was just 10 years old when he first heard live rock %E2%80%98n' roll, courtesy of Buddy Holly and his crew playing on a flatbed truck for the opening of a gas station in sleepy Slaton, Tex. Fascinated by the new sound, Keys joined the school band and took up the only instrument left%E2%80%94a baritone sax. Soon, he was offered a spot touring with Buddy Knox. Too young to travel on his own, the drummer for The Crickets legally adopted Keys so he could tour. It was a prophetic start; Keys would go on to play with the likes of Joe Cocker, John Lennon, and The Rolling Stones, all of which is detailed in this eminently readable memoir. Tales of debauchery abound, including a stint in a Mexican jail, filling a bathtub with French champagne and a comely accomplice, riding shotgun as Keith Richards crashes a Ferrari into a hotel lobby, and many more. Richards is a recurring character in many of these tales, but he's more than a partner in crime; when Keys's substance abuse reaches its apogee, Richards pays for his friend's treatment. Though the wild stories make for a fun read, Keys's charming humanity and love of music make this rock %E2%80%98n' roll bio stand out. Those looking for a behind-the-scenes story will find this to be an insightful, humble, and entertaining trip. Photos. (Feb.)