Music Legend Phil Upchurch Passes Away at 84, Leaving Behind Legacy as Guitarist and Composer for Iconic Artists.
Renowned guitarist and composer Phil Upchurch has left an indelible mark on the music industry with his contributions to some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The 84-year-old musician passed away on November 23rd in Los Angeles, leaving behind a legacy that spans nearly six decades. During his illustrious career, Upchurch recorded over 30 albums and appeared on more than 1,000 recordings with artists such as Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, and Curtis Mayfield.
Upchurch's work on hit singles like Khan's "I'm Every Woman" and Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night" is particularly notable. He also composed the iconic single "Six to Four" for George Benson and featured on all of Hathaway's solo studio and live albums, as well as soundtracks from Mayfield's films including "Superfly," "Claudine," "Let’s Do It Again," and "Sparkle."
Born in Chicago, Upchurch was introduced to music at a young age by his father, a jazz pianist. He began playing the ukulele at 13 and later mastered guitar, bass, and drums. Influenced by jazz musicians Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, Upchurch's entry into the music industry began with performances with The Spaniels after high school in 1958.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Upchurch also published two books and was working on an autobiography at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Sonya.
Upchurch's passing marks the end of an era for the music industry, but his contributions will continue to inspire future generations of musicians.
Renowned guitarist and composer Phil Upchurch has left an indelible mark on the music industry with his contributions to some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The 84-year-old musician passed away on November 23rd in Los Angeles, leaving behind a legacy that spans nearly six decades. During his illustrious career, Upchurch recorded over 30 albums and appeared on more than 1,000 recordings with artists such as Quincy Jones, Donny Hathaway, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, and Curtis Mayfield.
Upchurch's work on hit singles like Khan's "I'm Every Woman" and Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night" is particularly notable. He also composed the iconic single "Six to Four" for George Benson and featured on all of Hathaway's solo studio and live albums, as well as soundtracks from Mayfield's films including "Superfly," "Claudine," "Let’s Do It Again," and "Sparkle."
Born in Chicago, Upchurch was introduced to music at a young age by his father, a jazz pianist. He began playing the ukulele at 13 and later mastered guitar, bass, and drums. Influenced by jazz musicians Oscar Peterson and Jimmy Smith, Upchurch's entry into the music industry began with performances with The Spaniels after high school in 1958.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Upchurch also published two books and was working on an autobiography at the time of his death. He is survived by his wife, Sonya.
Upchurch's passing marks the end of an era for the music industry, but his contributions will continue to inspire future generations of musicians.
! I'm literally feeling nostalgic right now thinking about Phil Upchurch's career span... like 6 decades is a long time, fam! 
He worked with so many iconic artists and contributed to some of the most classic songs ever 
. I mean, who wouldn't want to work with Quincy Jones or Michael Jackson? 
And can we talk about "I'm Every Woman" - that song is still fire today 
. Upchurch's legacy will definitely keep inspiring new musicians, and I'm hyped for the next gen of guitar wizards 
!
"I'm Every Woman" and "Workin' Day and Night" are iconic 
, and it's crazy he was doin all that at 13 on ukulele lol what a start 
he left such an impact on the music industry with all the iconic artists he worked with, like quincy jones and michael jackson 
still it's awesome to see how he paved the way for so many other musicians, his legacy will live on through all those amazing recordings 
he was a true legend and I'm still trying to wrap my head around him being gone at 84... I mean, 1,000+ recordings is crazy for one person! Can you believe he worked with Michael Jackson on "Workin' Day and Night"? That's like, totally iconic. And his compositions on George Benson's "Six to Four" are still giving me chills 
Phil Upchurch's legacy is like a reminder that even when our time on this earth comes to an end, our impact can still be felt for generations to come 
. It's a bittersweet feeling knowing he left behind a treasure trove of music and stories that'll continue to inspire us, but also appreciate the fact that we get to carry his memories and music with us 
.
he was old anyway... 84 is like ancient history for a human being 
and all these legendary artists who worked with him were probably just getting along for the fame and money 
meanwhile, his legacy will just be remembered by a bunch of music nerds on the internet 
his music still holds up today, i mean "i'm every woman" by chaka khan is still a bop 
. anyway, it's crazy that he published books too 
, guess that autobiography was gonna be fire 
i mean have you ever seen a sunset over the pacific ocean at 6am? it's like the whole world is waking up together 
anyway, back to phil upchurch... i heard he was working on an autobiography at the time of his passing, that's so cool! i always thought about writing my own book but idk if i have a story worth telling 
maybe one day i'll just start writing and see where it takes me 
! I mean, can you even imagine the iconic songs he played on? Like, "I'm Every Woman" by Chaka Khan or "Workin' Day and Night" by Michael Jackson... mind blown 
. And to think that he was only 84 when he left us is just crazy 
. R.I.P. Phil Upchurch 
just heard about phil upchurch passin away... feels like a loss for all us music lovers 
. upchurch's legacy is goin to live on, but it's def hard to see a legend like him go 
. I mean, 84 is old for someone who was still making hits like "I'm Every Woman" and "Workin' Day and Night". He should've released one more album lol! But seriously, the dude was a legend 
. I mean, 84 is old, but that's still pretty impressive considering all he did in life and music. He had an insane career span - from playing with The Spaniels after high school to working with all those iconic artists like Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson... it's crazy to think about all the hits he contributed to 
. RIP Phil Upchurch 
also, can you believe Quincy Jones worked with him too? That's like a dream come true for music fans 
. rest in peace phil upchurch, your music will keep living on for generations to come 
. and "I'm Every Woman" is like, one of my all-time fave songs... Phil Upchurch was definitely the real MVP 
musician. his guitar work is so smooth and soulful 
. i'm gonna give it a listen again and remember what he did for music 
. And what's with the over 1,000 recordings? That's just a bunch of filler tracks to pad out some albums 
. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure Phil was a talented guy and all, but the music industry is all about hype and nostalgia now... it's not like anyone actually cares about new talent anymore