Phil Upchurch | |
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 Phil Upchurch at the 2012 NAMM Convention in Anaheim, California | |
| Background information | |
| Born | July 19, 1941 Chicago, Illinois |
| Genres | Jazz, blues, soul, R&B |
| Occupation | Musician |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Labels | Chess, Cadet, Blue Thumb |
| Website | philupchurch |
Phillip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) [1] is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist.
Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, and Jimmy Reed. [2] (His association with Kool Gents member Dee Clark would continue, including playing guitar on Clark's 1961 solo hit "Raindrops".) He then returned to Chicago to play and record with Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Groove Holmes, B.B. King, and Dizzy Gillespie.
In 1961, his record "You Can't Sit Down" by the Philip Upchurch Combo, [2] sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. [3] "You Can't Sit Down, Part 2" peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard charts in the US. [4] And he released his first album. In the 1960s he toured with Oscar Brown, appearing on the 1965 live album, Mr. Oscar Brown, Jr. Goes to Washington . In the mid-1960s he was house guitarist of Chess Records and he played with The Dells, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Gene Chandler. [2] He also played with John Lee Hooker, Grover Washington, Jr. [5] and Cannonball Adderley. Upchurch was part of a group called The Soulful Strings during the 1960s, prior to working with the Rotary Connection on Chess's Cadet label.
In the 1970s, he worked with Donny Hathaway, Harvey Mason, Ramsey Lewis, Quincy Jones and led his own quartet with Tennyson Stephens. [5] [2] He met Bob Krasnow and Tommy LiPuma, the founders of Blue Thumb Records, and he released Darkness Darkness. Upchurch played on Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" and "The Ghetto". He also played guitar on Hathaway's Live album (1972). [6] In the mid 1970s and 1980s, he performed with George Benson, [5] Mose Allison, Gary Burton, Lenny Breau, [7] Joe Williams, Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole, Carmen McRae, Cat Stevens, David Sanborn, and Michael Jackson. In the 1990s he worked with Jimmy Smith and Jack McDuff.
With Mose Allison
With Anita Baker
With George Benson
With Oscar Brown Jr.
With Peabo Bryson and Natalie Cole
With Dee Clark
With Natalie Cole
With Bob Dylan
With Sheena Easton
With Stan Getz
With Dizzy Gillespie
With Donny Hathaway
With Red Holloway
With Howlin' Wolf
With Michael Jackson
With Dr. John
With Chaka Khan
With Hubert Laws
With Ramsey Lewis
With Jack McDuff
With Carmen McRae
With Jimmy Reed
With Minnie Riperton
With Rotary Connection
With Ben Sidran
With Jimmy Smith
With Muddy Waters
Chess Records was an American record company established in 1950 in Chicago, specializing in blues and rhythm and blues. It was the successor to Aristocrat Records, founded in 1947. It expanded into soul music, gospel music, early rock and roll, and jazz and comedy recordings, released on the Chess and its subsidiary labels Checker and Argo/Cadet. The Chess catalogue is owned by Universal Music Group and managed by Geffen Records and Universal Music Enterprises.
Cornell Luther Dupree was an American jazz and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis, and Steve Gadd, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, and wrote a book on soul and blues guitar, Rhythm and Blues Guitar. He reportedly recorded on 2,500 sessions.
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This is the discography for American jazz musician Richard Davis.
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Groovin' with the Soulful Strings is the second album by the American soul-jazz instrumental group the Soulful Strings. It was released in October 1967 on the Cadet record label, a subsidiary of Chess Records. The album includes the hit single "Burning Spear", written by the group's leader, musical arranger Richard Evans, and interpretations of popular songs by the Beatles, the Temptations, Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and others.
This is the discography for American double bassist Ron Carter.
Phil Upchurch.
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