Bobby Keys on sax with the Stones and a musician’s golden life in L.A

When the Rolling Stones hit the stage tonight at Dodger Stadium, it will be a homecoming of sorts for saxophonist Bobby Keys. A fixture of L.A.’s recording scene starting in the mid-’60s, Keys has toured with the band since 1970 and provided the sax solos on Stones classics from “Brown Sugar” to “Waiting on a Friend.”

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Q: What’s your favorite Stones song?

A: That would have to be “Brown Sugar.” It’s given me a quarter century of job security.

Q: When did you meet the band?

A: On their first American tour, in 1964. I was playing with Bobby Vee in San Antonio, at the Dick Clark Teenage World’s Fair--it was Bobby Vee, the Stones and George Jones. We were all staying at the Ramada Inn.

Q: So what did you think of them?

A: Now, I’m from Lubbock, Texas, and my neighbor growing up was Buddy Holly, and [the Stones’] first hit was “Not Fade Away.” So I had an attitude about them, ripping off Buddy Holly and all.

Q: Anything else?

A: Well, we had a thing about wearing suits and ties on stage. They didn’t. Eventually, Keith [Richards], who’s become my best friend in life, convinced them to try it.

Q: How did you end up playing with them?

A: I was in England, where I was supposed to play with Eric Clapton in Derek and the Dominoes. That didn’t work out, but I ran into Mick [Jagger] and he told me the Stones had a new album, “Let It Bleed,” and they were thinking of adding some horns.

Q: Talk about L.A. in the ‘60s and ‘70s.

A: In those days, L.A. was a very fertile creative ground. And there were so many places to play! My favorite was Snoopy’s Opera House out in the Valley. You could play Saturday night ‘til 4 a.m., come back and play the breakfast shift from 6 to noon, then the 2-to-5 afternoon shift. You could play just about 24 hours a day.

Q: Was it tough for you to break in?

A: Fortunately there were a bunch of musicians from back home living here. Leon Russell, who was from Oklahoma--I moved into the closet of his house up on Skyline Drive--was music director of “Shindig,” and he’d filled up the Shindogs, the show’s house band, with all his buddies: [drummer] Jim Keltner, [guitarists] Carl Radle and J.J. Cale and Glen Campbell.

Q: How have the Stones changed over the years?

A: Well, they still don’t have matching outfits, but they’re much better dressed. And there’s much less self-abuse. So instead of swilling Jack Daniel’s after a show, I’ll find myself trying to figure out how to beat Keith at dominoes.

Q: That’s kind of hard to picture.

A: Keith is a hell of a dominoes player.