Saul Kay

Years after being part of Saul Kaye´s famous Clifton HS band of 1964-1967, I strangely need to reach out to this man who obviously meant a lot to me. His words of advice to me that I have held onto are, "if you are going to blow a bad note (flutist), blow it loud"! Thanks Saul, I still live by your words.

I was not a member of the band, but the football team. When I was a soph. and we had over a hundred members on the team, we JVs had to stay on the benches during half time because there simply was no room for us in the field house. That was to our benefit, because we got to hear the greatest HS band in the world. I used to make sure I sat in the middle to get the best viewing and sound, but also because the Drum Majorette would get on the middle of the bench to lead the band. We always...

Your pursuit of excellence left an indelible mark on my life and my Mustang Band memories will live on forever!
My condolences to the Kay family.

Class of '67

I was as saddeneded as most to learn of Mr. Kay’s death. He had a major influence on my life and to quote Abraham Lincoln “It is altogether fitting and proper” to offer some reflections regarding that impact.

My first memory of Mr. Kay as a young sophomore in 1967 was his encouragement to audition for the band. I wasn’t going to join, fearing the level of effort and commitment. Mr. Kay was persistent, and I’m glad he was. I soon found myself not only marching but also a member of...

My condolences to the Kay family. He was truly the "leader" of the band. May he rest in peace.

The beauty of Mr. Kay's methods was that he not only taught us how to be the best musicians we could be but also the best people. He taught life skills that have served me in every endeaver.He literally handed me the keys to the building as a member of the band room squad which instilled an extraordinary sense of responsibility, duty and leadership. Mr. Kay recognized something in me that I didn't know existed and he gave me the gifts of confidence and maturity.His legacy lives on through the...

I will never forget Mr. Kay and his commitment, hard work and dedication to building the Mustang Band into to nation wide prominence. In addition to being committed to the band as a whole, I remember he was also concerned about the welfare of each and every member. Even though I did not pursue a career in music his example has stayed with me throughout my career in engineering.

The measure of a man is the lives He touches. It is good to see so many take time to reflect on the fullness of his life.

"I'm just the living legacy to the leader of the band" D. Fogelberg
Saul Kay started the ball rolling on what has now come to be known as "The Showband of the NorthEast", and even though I was not a member of the band during his time in charge, I've always had a sense of respect, and truthfully, a little awe, for what he created. Mr Kay, thank you for envisioning and building what turned into one of the best experiences in mine and many, many others lives. You will be missed.