Guitarist Phil Upchurch Dies at 84

Phil Upchurch, the renowned guitarist and session musician whose versatile playing graced recordings by Michael Jackson, Donny Hathaway and numerous other icons, died on November 23 in Los Angeles. He was 84.

His wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, confirmed the death but did not disclose a cause. In a statement, she described him as "my personal gift from God, my best friend, my music partner, my life, and my hero." She added, "Our love was supernatural, endless, timeless and as true as his favorite color blue. He was a master of chords and emotions. Anything that he placed his mind to complete he did it. Well done my love. I love you more than words can say and the heart can hold."

Over a career spanning six decades, Upchurch recorded nearly 30 albums under his own name and contributed to more than 1,000 sessions with top artists across jazz, soul, blues and R&B. His distinctive funky chording and riffs appeared on landmark tracks, including Chaka Khan's 1978 hit "I'm Every Woman," which topped Billboard's 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 played on every solo studio and live album by...