Saxophonist Leo Green has revealed that life alongside the world's most famous musicians hasn't always been as glamorous as it might seem. In an exclusive interview with the Mirror, Leo recalled the extraordinary behaviour he witnessed while touring with rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, including having a knife and a bottle of whisky thrown in his direction.
"I can remember a knife being thrown in my direction," he revealed. "I can remember a full bottle of whiskey being thrown in my direction. I can remember all kinds of things."
From Bedroom to Stage with Jerry Lee Lewis
Despite those alarming memories, Leo insists the pair actually got along. "The weird thing is, he liked me. We got on," he explained, recalling how young and inexperienced he was when he first joined the legendary musician's band. Leo was just 19 when an unexpected phone call changed the course of his career. Having been playing with the Big Sound Playboys, he was contacted by a venue in Wales asking whether he was available to perform the following night.
The unusual request came with one specific condition. "Are you free tomorrow night? Have you got long hair?" Leo remembered being asked. He didn't have long hair, so he headed to Newport, only to discover the mystery American musician he had been booked to accompany was none other than Jerry Lee Lewis. But even then, things didn't exactly go to plan. Leo recalled waiting backstage as the hours ticked by, with no sign of the star. Eventually, the band was instructed to start playing and simply wait for Jerry Lee to appear. "The first time I met him was on stage on the gig," he explained. "I had no idea what was coming."
Two Years That Shaped a Career
What was supposed to be a short booking soon turned into something far bigger. By the third night, Leo had finally had the chance to meet the singer properly, and before he knew it, he was being asked whether he could travel to Argentina. "And that was it. I was in the band and did two years," he recalled. For a young musician who had grown up listening to him, the experience was extraordinary. "I've kind of gone from being in my bedroom playing along to Great Balls of Fire to suddenly being on stage with him playing it."
And while Jerry Lee's behaviour could be unpredictable, Leo credits those two years with giving him an education that no music school could have provided. "You didn't know what songs were coming, in what style, and you were just expected to keep up and do it," he explained.
Growing Up Among Music Royalty
The experience helped prepare him for a career that would see him performing alongside some of the industry's biggest names. But for Leo, being surrounded by music royalty was nothing particularly unusual. As the son of celebrated saxophonist, broadcaster and music journalist Benny Green, he grew up in a household where famous faces were simply part of everyday life. Among those he encountered was Frank Sinatra, whom he met through his father's work.
"I just got lucky, I guess," Leo said when reflecting on his childhood. "I didn't realise at the time. Looking back now, all these years later, I look back and think, bloody hell." He continued: "I didn't realise there was something abnormal about meeting Frank Sinatra or all these ridiculously famous people. They were just people that my parents worked with, my dad worked with, and I didn't really think much of it."
Lessons from McCartney, Ronnie Wood and Van Morrison
Working with Jools Holland led to another unforgettable encounter with Sir Paul McCartney. Leo was in the studio recording an album when the former Beatle unexpectedly arrived. "What a nice guy!" Leo said. "He came in, was brilliant to all the musicians." He added that McCartney has always been friendly when they've bumped into each other since. "He's always, 'Hey, how are you?'"
Another musician who has left his mark is Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. "I loved working with Ronnie, because he has made an entire career out of making other people sound amazing," he explained. "There's a real lesson in how to be a musician and accompany people and listen and be aware of your musical surroundings. And the star of the show is always the song. We're all servants to the song, and Ronnie really gets that."
Leo also praised Van Morrison, despite his reputation for being notoriously private and sometimes difficult. "I don't find him too..." he began when asked about that reputation, before explaining that their conversations are generally dominated by music. "I just think he's another one. All we talk about is music." Leo described Van as an extraordinary artist whose knowledge of musical history runs incredibly deep, adding: "He's the greatest band leader I've ever worked for. Because when you're on stage, he is literally directing and creating that side of the show as well. The arrangements of the songs are changing. He is an absolute master at leading a band."
Still Playing with Passion
After a career spent playing alongside some of the world's most celebrated performers, Leo still talks about music with the enthusiasm of someone just starting out. He insists that passion has never faded. As he prepares to celebrate International Saxophone Day with a special edition of his Secret Sax Party in London, he has no intention of putting down his instrument.
"It's my favourite instrument, and I never quite know why," he admitted. He believes part of its magic is that it comes closer than almost any other instrument to replicating the human voice. "To play it, you actually literally put it inside your body. It goes in your mouth. It can be more personal."
So, having spent decades on stage, does he see himself continuing to play for as long as possible? "If people want to hear me, absolutely," he laughed. And even if they don't? "I'll still keep going."
