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

"Among the classic songs Upchurch took part in creating in the studio were Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman," which topped Billboard's R&B chart for three weeks in 1978, and "Workin' Day and Night," from Jackson's 1979 solo breakthrough, "Off the Wall." He also played on Hathaway's holiday staple "This Christmas" and on 1972's "Live" (which was recorded at the Troubadour) and on two versions of the instrumental "Breezin'": Hungarian guitarist Gábor Szabó's 1971 recording, which introduced the song composed by Bobby Womack, and Benson's hit rendition from 1976, which helped drive Benson's album by the same title to No. 1 on the Billboard 200."

"Upchurch was born July 19, 1941, in Chicago and was playing music professionally by age 16. Jimmy Smith, the jazz organist, was an early inspiration, he told The Times in 1996; Smith's albums, he said, were his "bibles." In 1961, Upchurch scored a hit under his own name with "You Can't Sit Down," a swinging, organ-driven number that later went to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in a rendition by the Dovells. In 1963, Upchurch played on a proto-rap spoken-word LP by Muhammad Ali, then known as Cassius Clay, called "I Am the Greatest!""

Phil Upchurch, born July 19, 1941, in Chicago, was a prolific session guitarist and recording artist who died Nov. 23 at age 84. He played on landmark recordings spanning soul, R&B, jazz and pop, including Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman," Michael Jackson's "Workin' Day and Night," Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas," and versions of the instrumental "Breezin'." Upchurch began playing professionally at 16, was inspired by organist Jimmy Smith, served in the U.S. Army in Germany in the mid-1960s, and became a key session player at Chess Records working with Ramsey Lewis, Howlin' Wolf and Muddy Waters.

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