Renowned Guitarist Phil Upchurch, Who Worked With Music Legends Michael Jackson and Donny Hathaway, Dies at 84
Phil Upchurch, a highly influential guitarist and session musician who collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Michael Jackson and Donny Hathaway, has passed away at the age of 84. His wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, revealed that the cause of death was not publicly disclosed.
In a heartfelt statement, Mrs. Upchurch described her late husband as "my personal gift from God," "my best friend, my music partner, my life, and my hero." She remembered him fondly, stating that their love was "supernatural, endless, timeless, and as true as his favorite color blue."
Throughout his remarkable career, Phil Upchurch contributed to nearly 30 albums and appeared on over 1,000 recordings. Some of his most notable collaborations include Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman," which topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for three weeks, and Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night" from his 1979 album Off the Wall.
Upchurch also worked extensively with other legendary artists, including Curtis Mayfield on the soundtracks for Superfly, Claudine, Let's Do It Again, and Sparkle, which featured Aretha Franklin. He performed or recorded with George Benson, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker, and Stan Getz, among others.
Born on July 19, 1941, in Chicago, Upchurch began making music at a young age, starting with the ukulele at 13 before mastering guitar, bass, and drums. He was influenced by jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, and began his professional career touring with the singing group The Spaniels after graduating high school in 1958.
In the mid-1960s, Upchurch served two years in the U.S. Army in Germany before returning to Chicago and becoming a regular session musician at Chess Records. He collaborated with legends such as Ramsey Lewis, John Klemmer, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, The Dells, and Etta James.
In addition to his work in the music industry, Upchurch authored two instructional music books and completed an autobiography, which is set to be released posthumously.
Phil Upchurch, a highly influential guitarist and session musician who collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including Michael Jackson and Donny Hathaway, has passed away at the age of 84. His wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, revealed that the cause of death was not publicly disclosed.
In a heartfelt statement, Mrs. Upchurch described her late husband as "my personal gift from God," "my best friend, my music partner, my life, and my hero." She remembered him fondly, stating that their love was "supernatural, endless, timeless, and as true as his favorite color blue."
Throughout his remarkable career, Phil Upchurch contributed to nearly 30 albums and appeared on over 1,000 recordings. Some of his most notable collaborations include Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman," which topped the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart for three weeks, and Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night" from his 1979 album Off the Wall.
Upchurch also worked extensively with other legendary artists, including Curtis Mayfield on the soundtracks for Superfly, Claudine, Let's Do It Again, and Sparkle, which featured Aretha Franklin. He performed or recorded with George Benson, Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Luther Vandross, B.B. King, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lee Hooker, and Stan Getz, among others.
Born on July 19, 1941, in Chicago, Upchurch began making music at a young age, starting with the ukulele at 13 before mastering guitar, bass, and drums. He was influenced by jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, and began his professional career touring with the singing group The Spaniels after graduating high school in 1958.
In the mid-1960s, Upchurch served two years in the U.S. Army in Germany before returning to Chicago and becoming a regular session musician at Chess Records. He collaborated with legends such as Ramsey Lewis, John Klemmer, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, The Dells, and Etta James.
In addition to his work in the music industry, Upchurch authored two instructional music books and completed an autobiography, which is set to be released posthumously.
... always been a huge fan of Phil Upchurch's playing style, reminded me a bit of Jimi Hendrix, but with his own unique vibe 
. The fact that he worked with so many iconic artists is mind-blowing... I mean, you can't put a price on that kind of experience 
. He was definitely someone who knew how to make magic happen in the studio 
. Can't wait to check out his autobiography when it comes out 
.
. It's like he was trying to leave us with a legacy that'll live on forever 
. Don't get me wrong, his music was fire 
, but it's the relationships he had and the life he lived that'll be his true testament to his greatness 
84's too young for a legend like Phil Upchurch 
My fave part? He was still making music till the end 
His legacy lives on thru his discography 
just read about phil upchurch, it's crazy that someone with so much talent & influence is gone at 84... i mean, he played with some of the biggest names in music - michael jackson, donny hathaway, chaka khan... his discography is insane 
but seriously his legacy lives on through the music he made with so many legendary artists, like michael jackson and donny hathaway 
and it's really cool that his wife is releasing an autobiography about their life together 
i wonder if there will be any new music or projects in the works? maybe someone can collab with phil's son or other musicians to keep his spirit alive 
phil upchurch was like a legend on guitar and he worked with so many iconic artists it's crazy to think about how much music he made... i mean 1,000 recordings? that's wild 
chaka khan's "i'm every woman" is still a jam to this day and phil's guitar work on that song is insane 
the way he described his love for his wife sounds super romantic too... blue is such an underrated color for music too lol.
. Anyway, rest in peace Phil Upchurch, your guitar playing is still making waves even after you're gone 
1,000+ recordings is insane... i mean, can you even imagine being that in demand as a session musician? 
That's insane!
That's dedication right there! Upchurch's legacy will live on through the music he left behind, and I'm sure we'll be discovering more of his genius in the years to come 
:
... I mean I'm all for innovation and all, but sometimes I feel like we're losing something real by relying on machines to make music 
that's crazy! according to the stats, Phil Upchurch played with an average of 3-4 artists per year 
... I just wish we had more music from him before he passed away 
. anyway, 1k recordings is crazy talk! that dude was a session musician machine 
and colaborations with michael jackson? that's just mind-blowing. cant believe hes gone though