Phil Upchurch, a guitarist who played with Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway and Michael Jackson, died on Nov. 23 in Los Angeles. He was 84.
During his career, Upchurch recorded nearly 30 albums and appeared on more than 1,000 recordings with some of the biggest artists in Hollywood. Among the hit singles he took part in creating were Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” which charted Billboard’s R&B charts for three weeks in 1978, and Jackson’s “Workin’ Day and Night,” from his 1979 solo album “Off the Wall.”
The guitarist was also featured on all of Hathaway’s solo studio and live albums, Curtis Mayfield’s soundtracks “Superfly,” “Claudine,” “Let’s Do It Again” and “Sparkle” and composed George Benson’s single “Six to Four.”
Upchurch grew up in Chicago with a father who was a jazz pianist. His first introduction to music began at 13 years old when his father gave him a ukulele. That gift prompted him to explore other instruments, and he mastered playing the guitar, bass and drums.
Influenced by jazz musicians Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, Upchurch’s entry into the music industry started with his first tour performing with the singing group The Spaniels after graduating from high school in 1958.
Upchurch served two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-‘60s as a radio reporter stationed in Germany and performed as a musician in the unit’s glee club. After returning home, he took his talents to Chicago record labels where he worked on sessions with jazz and blues artists such as Ramsey Lewis and John Klemmer, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, The Dells and Etta James, and eventually recorded his first single, “You Can’t Sit Down (Parts 1 & 2).”
In addition to being a musician, Upchurch published two books and was working on an autobiography at the time of his death.
He is survived by his wife, Sonya.
