Guitarist Phil Upchurch, who played with Donny Hathaway and Michael Jackson, dies at 84

Phil Upchurch, a prolific league instrumentalist who played guitar connected records by artists specified arsenic Michael Jackson, Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway and George Benson, died Nov. 23 successful Los Angeles. He was 84.

His decease was confirmed by his wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, who didn’t specify a origin oregon accidental wherever successful L.A. helium died.

Among the classical songs Upchurch took portion successful creating successful the workplace were Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” which topped Billboard’s R&B illustration for 3 weeks successful 1978, and “Workin’ Day and Night,” from Jackson’s 1979 solo breakthrough, “Off the Wall.” He besides played connected Hathaway’s vacation staple “This Christmas” and connected 1972’s “Live” (which was recorded astatine the Troubadour) and connected 2 versions of the instrumental “Breezin’”: Hungarian guitarist Gábor Szabó’s 1971 recording, which introduced the opus composed by Bobby Womack, and Benson’s deed rendition from 1976, which helped thrust Benson’s medium by the aforesaid rubric to No. 1 connected the Billboard 200.

Upchurch was calved July 19, 1941, successful Chicago and was playing euphony professionally by property 16. Jimmy Smith, the jazz organist, was an aboriginal inspiration, helium told The Times successful 1996; Smith’s albums, helium said, were his “bibles.” In 1961, Upchurch scored a deed nether his ain sanction with “You Can’t Sit Down,” a swinging, organ-driven fig that aboriginal went to No. 3 connected the Hot 100 successful a rendition by the Dovells. In 1963, Upchurch played connected a proto-rap spoken-word LP by Muhammad Ali, past known arsenic Cassius Clay, called “I Am the Greatest!”

Upchurch served successful the U.S. Army for 2 years successful Germany successful the mid-’60s; erstwhile helium returned, helium rapidly became a fixture astatine Chicago’s Chess Records, wherever helium worked connected sessions by the likes of Ramsey Lewis, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters and made respective records of his ain with Hathaway arsenic a subordinate of his workplace band.

In the ’70s helium played connected Mayfield’s soundtracks for the movies “Superfly” and “Sparkle,” the second of which besides featured Aretha Franklin. Among the galore different acts Upchurch performed oregon recorded with were the Staple Singers, Natalie Cole, Minnie Riperton, Bob Dylan, Anita Baker and Dr. John.