When a Man Loves a Woman

In 2015, I was fronting a rock band in New York City called “Craig Richard and the Touch”. Being a rock group, I was looking for songs on the saxophone that really cooked!

I was watching vintage saxophone videos and came across a 1989 concert video of Richard Elliot playing “When a Man Loves a Woman”. This knocked me off my feet… it’s the definition of blowing your guts out on the saxophone!I knew it would be a perfect addition to my set list.

This is such a fun song for me to play because I get to really put a lot of intensity and soul through the tenor saxophone.

One of the reasons I love playing saxophone so much is because it feels like a full body experience… it’s very physical, and requires a ton of breath.

In my version, I also take a lot of risks. Playing the really high altissimo notes on the saxophone requires extreme focus and precision, so every time I play this I’m on the edge of my seat!

Of course the original version of the song was a number one hit for the legendary soul singer Percy Sledge. That version will live on forever.

Romantic love is such a sweet part of being alive, and this song certainly is on the top list of all-time romantic songs.

Forget Valentine’s Day… EVERY DAY is a good day to celebrate LOVE and the bonds between us that make life worth living!

With Saxy Love 😎🎷❤️

Craig Richard

Gettin’ hot on the sax!