Phil Upchurch, Celebrated Guitarist and In-Demand Session Musician, Dies at 84
Reported by family sources
Phil Upchurch, the esteemed guitarist and prolific session musician whose playing enriched recordings by Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson and a long list of other artists, has died. He was 84.
Upchurch passed away on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles, his wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, confirmed. No cause of death was disclosed.
In a statement, his wife paid tribute to his singular gifts and the depth of their partnership, describing him as a devoted companion and a masterful musician whose discipline and emotional sensitivity defined both his playing and his life.
Across a remarkable career, Upchurch recorded nearly 30 albums as a leader and contributed to more than 1,000 sessions. His musicianship is heard on landmark tracks such as Chaka Khan’s 1978 hit “I’m Every Woman,” which led Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for three weeks, and Michael Jackson’s energetic “Workin’ Day and Night” from the 1979 album Off the Wall.
He was a constant presence on Donny Hathaway’s studio and live recordings and played on several Curtis Mayfield soundtracks, including Superfly, Claudine, Let’s Do It Again and Sparkle — the latter featuring Aretha Franklin. Over the years Upchurch also performed or recorded with a wide array of luminaries, among them George Benson, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker and Stan Getz.
Born July 19, 1941, in Chicago, Upchurch began making music early — starting on the ukulele at 13 before mastering the guitar, bass and drums. Influenced by jazz artists such as Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, he launched his professional career after graduating high school in 1958 by touring with the vocal group the Spaniels. In 1961 he had a hit of his own with “You Can’t Sit Down,” and in 1963 he participated in the studio ensemble that backed Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) on the spoken-word record I Am the Greatest!.
Following a two-year stint in the U.S. Army in Germany during the mid-1960s, Upchurch became a sought-after session player at Chicago’s Chess Records, contributing to recordings by Ramsey Lewis, John Klemmer, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, the Dells and Etta James, among others.
Beyond performance, Upchurch authored two instructional books for musicians and completed an autobiography that is slated for posthumous publication.
