Sunday Folk and Pop Celebrating the 2024 Birthday of Hoyt Axton and Sax Master Buddy Savitt

by Robert Wilkinson

Today we celebrate two Aries who became legends in the world of popular music! If you don’t know who Hoyt Axton is, you’ve certainly heard his music made famous by some of the biggest acts in history.

We’ll begin with Hoyt Axton (March 25 1938 – October 26, 1999), a legendary singer-songwriter and actor. (Yes, he actually appeared in Bonanza, The Black Stallion, Gremlins, WKRP and Different Strokes!) He was part of the early 60s west coast folk movement, and along the way wrote some huge hits! (So did his mom, who co-wrote “Heartbreak Hotel” which some Memphis cat recorded for RCA.) Today features some real treats. Hoyt wrote all of what you’re about to hear.

We’ll begin with one which was HUGE in 1963 when folk music was blowin’ in the wind everywhere. Here’s the version which went up the charts! “Greenback Dollar”

Here’s Hoyt’s version live at the Troub! “Greenback Dollar”

Here’s the entire legendary first album! The Balladeer Hoyt Axton Recorded Live at the Troubadour

Jumping forward a few years, Hoyt wrote this in 1971, which the next band took to #1 for over a month! "Joy To The World"

I found Hoyt’s studio version of “Joy to the World”

Here’s an upbeat live performance at Church Street Station in Orlando. “Joy to the World”

From that album, here’s “California Women”

Also from that album, another one Three Dog Night took into the stratosphere, “Never Been to Spain”

Here’s Hoyt live giving us his version of “Never Been to Spain”

Also from the Joy to the World album, one of the most menacing songs ever written! First time I played the Steppenwolf version I got in trouble. Here’s Hoyt’s howling growling version of “The Pusher”

This was what we heard on underground radio in 1968! “The Pusher”

This video's from 1974. He wrote this gem, did a duet with Linda Ronstadt, and it reached the Top Ten in the Country charts. “When The Morning Comes”

From The Hoyt Axton Show, he teams up with Linda live on a great duet of “Lion in the Winter”

Last year I had his 22 minute set with Jeannie C. Riley in Orlando at Church Street Station but it’s disappeared.

Here’s Hoyt live cranking out one of his bigger hits! Live in 1993 with the awesome John Inmon on guitar, here’s a great live performance of “Della and the Dealer”

He wrote this song which became a big hit for Ringo! “No No Song”

Here’s Hoyt’s studio version of “No No Song” and I found what looks to be a great party on Hoyt's television show! Seems there are some incredible backup singers there! “No No Song”

Our closer is his live performance at Farm Aid 1985 of “Della and the Dealer” and his signature song “Joy To The World”

For the encore, a one hour set of Hoyt, Arlo, and Steve Goodman on Soundstage in 1974! Hoyt Axton, Arlo Guthrie, and Steve Goodman on Soundstage

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Our second show features the classic sax work of the great Buddy Savitt (born Berton Schwartz, April 8, 1931 – April 18, 1983), sax master of Cameo-Parkway Records when they were at the top of the twist movement! Starting off in jazz playing for Elliott Lawrence's Orchestra, Woody Herman's Second Herd, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan and more, he was the sax man backing up Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, The Dovells and others. For your enjoyment, Buddy Savitt!

His sax wails on Charlie Gracie's “Crazy Girl”

He's also all over this novelty record by John Zacherle called “Dinner With Drac”

Bobby Rydell had Buddy cranking out on “You’ll Never Tame Me”

He was the sax on these 4 classics by Chubby Checker! First, one of the only songs to hit #1 in two separate years, “The Twist,” which we'll follow with Buddy’s great honking sax break in the fly “Let’s Twist Again.” Buddy's also wailing on “The Fly” and takes the lead in this four sax twisting tune! “Lose Your Inhibitions Twist”

As he was under contract to C-P records during the fat years of “the Philly Sound,” he’s all over these!

Here’s the Dovell’s first single from 1961. Even though it didn’t chart, it’s a classic! “No No No.”

He did the sax for Dee Dee Sharp on her Spring 1962 hit “Mash Potato Time,” (what a GREAT dance tune!) and “Gravy (for my Mashed Potatoes).” As was the practice back then, record companies liked to recycle hits to other acts in their stable, so of course Cameo-Parkway took both of these hits and had the Orlons do their own versions of “Mash Potato Time” and “Gravy.”

It sounds like Buddy’s wailing at the solo in these two hits from 1962 and early 1963, including “Don’t Hang Up” (#4 US) and “South Street” (#3 US).

Though they already had hit their peak, their run of hits extended through 1963 with “Not Me” (#12 US) and “Crossfire” (#19 US).

We’ll close with two from his only lp in 1962, The Most Heard Sax in the World. First a bit of a Bo Diddley ripoff, here’s the single released in 1961 from that album. “Come Blow Your Horn” and a standard, also from that album, “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.”

© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson

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