EXCLUSIVE: Saxophonist Leo Green opens up about his extraordinary life among music royalty as he recalls some seriously wild times…
He’s shared stages and recording studios with some of the biggest names in music from Sir Paul McCartney and Ronnie Wood to Van Morrison.
But saxophonist Leo Green has revealed that life alongside the world’s most famous musicians hasn’t always been quite 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.”
Despite those rather 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 rather 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.”
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.
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.”
Although he might have taken those encounters in his stride as a youngster, meeting Sinatra was still a special moment.
Leo recalled being a huge fan of the legendary singer and having the opportunity to meet him when his father suggested they go backstage to say hello.
Looking back now, the experience feels almost surreal. But it wasn’t just the stars his father knew who left a lasting impression. Benny himself was a major influence on Leo, both personally and professionally.
“He was just an amazing father, and he was great fun, and I’m very lucky to have had him,” Leo said.
As a child, he loved accompanying his dad to the BBC while Benny was working on his Radio 2 programme, watching the studio come to life and seeing famous visitors dropping in.
He also remembered visiting the Daily Mirror offices when his father was writing for the newspaper. Those experiences became part of his childhood, although Leo admitted he didn’t initially appreciate just how well-known his dad was.
One of the first times it really dawned on him was when he was around 14 and saw then England football manager Bobby Robson approach Benny.
For a football-mad teenager, watching the England manager recognise and speak to his father was quite something. And despite following his father into music, Leo insists he wasn’t pushed towards the profession.
In fact, by the time he started playing the saxophone at around 15, Benny was concentrating more on broadcasting and journalism.
“I knew I was a musician before I played an instrument,” Leo explained. “I know that sounds bizarre, but you know, the same way you don’t really control whether you’ve got straight hair, curly hair, left-handed, right-handed. I just knew I was a musician.”
The pair would later enjoy the opportunity to work together, touring and performing during the final years of Benny’s life. It is a period Leo remembers particularly fondly. And when his father died, another famous musician stepped forward to offer support.
Just a week after Benny’s death, Jools Holland unexpectedly called Leo. “I don’t know how he got my phone number,” Leo recalled.
The pianist and bandleader offered his condolences before asking what Leo was doing with himself. When Leo explained that he wasn’t doing much, Jools suggested he come out and perform with the band.
“He said, ‘Listen, you need to get out. Why don’t you come and do some gigs with my band?'”
What began as a kind gesture turned into a two-year stint. For Leo, it was about far more than another professional opportunity.
“I just think what he’s done for music – he gives so many musicians work,” he said, adding that he doesn’t believe Jools gets enough recognition for the opportunities he provides.
Working with Jools also led to another unforgettable encounter, this time with Sir Paul McCartney. Leo was in the studio recording an album when the former Beatle unexpectedly arrived.
For someone who had already met so many legendary performers, even Leo was impressed. He recalled that McCartney had previously known his father and shared an interest in older songs from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. His parents had even visited Paul’s home for dinner.
But what stood out to Leo wasn’t McCartney’s fame or the fact he had been a member of the Beatles. It was how he treated everyone around him.
“What a nice guy!” Leo said. “He came in, was brilliant to all the musicians.” He added that he has bumped into Paul in the street since, and the music legend has always been friendly. “He’s always, ‘Hey, how are you?'”
And despite everything McCartney has achieved, Leo believes the secret to his continued success is that he remains genuinely passionate about music. “What I love about him is he’s still a music fan,” he explained. “They are obsessed with music still.”
Leo said that although he only spent one day in the studio with Paul and didn’t get the chance to hear many Beatles stories, the encounter made a lasting impression.
Another musician who has left his mark is Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. Having worked with Ronnie, Leo believes his real brilliance lies in something that doesn’t always get the attention it deserves.
“I loved working with Ronnie, because he has made an entire career out of making other people sound amazing,” he explained.
For Leo, Ronnie’s willingness to support other performers, rather than constantly trying to take centre stage himself, is what makes him such an exceptional musician.
“There’s a real lesson in how to be a musician and accompany people and listen and be aware of your musical surroundings,” he said. “And the star of the show is always the song. We’re all servants to the song, and Ronnie really gets that.”
Leo also recalled Ronnie being great fun to work with, although he was equally enthusiastic when the conversation turned to another musical legend, Van Morrison.
The Northern Irish singer has developed a reputation for being notoriously private and sometimes difficult, but Leo’s experience has been rather different.
“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.
He pointed out that Morrison had been performing alongside influential American blues musicians when he was still a teenager, giving him a connection to an earlier generation of performers.
For Leo, that knowledge and experience make working with him especially exciting. When asked which artist he had most enjoyed performing alongside, Van was among the names that immediately came to mind.
The sheer variety of his catalogue means no two performances are quite the same. From blues and jazz to soul, country and Celtic influences, Leo said the music can move in almost any direction. But it is Van’s ability to lead a band that has impressed him most.
“He’s the greatest band leader I’ve ever worked for,” Leo revealed. “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.”
He also praised Morrison’s generosity when it comes to sharing his knowledge and musical experiences.
After a career spent playing alongside some of the world’s most celebrated performers, it’s perhaps surprising that Leo still talks about music with the enthusiasm of someone just starting out.
But he insists that passion has never faded. And 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.
For Leo, the saxophone has always had a special appeal. “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.”
And while some might assume the saxophone is difficult to master, Leo was quick to encourage anyone thinking of giving it a go. After all, he didn’t start playing until his teens, yet it went on to shape his entire life.
So, having spent decades on stage, does he see himself following in the footsteps of performers such as Ronnie Wood and Van Morrison by 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.”
Leo Green presents The Secret Sax Party – International Saxophone Day Special Edition at 21Soho, 3–5 Sutton Row, London, W1D 4NR, on Friday 6 November 2026, from 7pm to 9.45pm. For more info and tickets, visit www.thesecretsaxparty.com.
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