Free Republic

The Washington Examiner has broken what is, so far, the best story of the year: It turns out that Jill Biden has her own “walk-up” music. That is, whenever she makes an official appearance, this music is played for her, just as Hail to the Chief is played when the president appears. Someone within the Marine Corps band wrote it, although there is some dispute as to whether the White House requested such music or the Marine Corps band members spontaneously felt that Jill needed that special song. Becket Adams broke the story: The Marine Corps band was instructed last...

Boots Randolph, whose spirited saxophone playing on songs like "Yakety Sax" made him one of Nashville's top musicians, died Tuesday. He was 80. Randolph suffered a cerebral hemorrhage June 25 and had been hospitalized in a coma. He was taken off a respirator earlier Tuesday, said Betty Hofer, a publicist and spokeswoman for the family. Randolph played regularly in Nashville nightclubs for 30 years, becoming a tourist draw for the city much like Wayne Newton in Las Vegas and Pete Fountain in New Orleans. He recorded more than 40 albums and spent 15 years touring with the Festival of Music,...