Don Myrick
Don Myrick | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Donald Myrick |
Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S | April 6, 1940
Died | July 30, 1993 Los Angeles, California, U.S | (aged 53)
Genres |
|
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instrument(s) | Saxophone, vocals |
Years active | 1960s–1990s |
Donald Myrick[1] (Chicago, Illinois, April 6, 1940 – July 30, 1993)[2] was an American saxophonist. He was a member of the Phenix Horns, best known for his work with Earth, Wind & Fire and Phil Collins.[3]
He played alto, tenor and soprano sax as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire's original horn section, The Phenix Horns Esq. from 1975 through 1982. Previously, Myrick had been a member of the musical group The Pharaohs. Myrick is also credited as a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians (AACM)[4]
Some of his most famous saxophone solos include Phil Collins': "All of My Life", "If Leaving Me Is Easy" and "One More Night", the latter even featuring Myrick performing the sax solo in the official music video, filmed in a London pub. Another was the live recording of "Reasons" featured on the Earth Wind & Fire Gratitude album, and "After the Love Has Gone" from the album I Am. He performed with many prominent musicians including Grover Washington, Jr. and Carlos Santana.[5] Myrick appeared on albums by artists including Bobby "Blue" Bland, The Dells, Regina Belle, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, and Heaven 17.[6]
Earth, Wind & Fire's single "Runnin'" earned him the 1977/78 Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental.[5]
Early life
Myrick attended Crane Junior College in Chicago, Illinois, where he was part of a band called The Jazzmen with Louis Satterfield, who later joined him with the Phenix Horns performing with Earth, Wind & Fire. Myrick and Satterfield played with The Pharaohs with musicians from Chess Records who included drummer Maurice White, who became Earth, Wind & Fire's founder.[7]
Death
Myrick was killed in Los Angeles, California by a Santa Monica policeman during a narcotics investigation.[8] While attempting to serve a search warrant, Police Officer Gary Barbaro mistook a butane lighter in Myrick's hand for a weapon. He fired a single bullet that hit Myrick in the chest.[9] Myrick died in the hospital shortly afterward, aged 53 years.[10]
Following a funeral service at a Baptist church, his body was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery in Los Angeles County.
Myrick was survived by his mother, Antoinette Myrick-Carr (now deceased), wife Barbara (now deceased), and three daughters; Shani, Lauren, Shirika Myrick, and a cousin, Elliot Myrick. In 1995, their wrongful death lawsuit against the city was settled for $400,000.[11]
The song "For a Friend" by Phil Collins, released on the CD single "We Wait and We Wonder" in 1993, was a tribute to his friend, who actively participated in Collins's songs and shows for many years.
As a tribute, Gary Bias performs the saxophone solos that originated with Myrick at Earth, Wind & Fire's live shows.
Discography
- With Howlin' Wolf
- The Howlin' Wolf Album (1969)
- With Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble
- The Malcolm X Memorial (A Tribute In Music) (1970)
- With Donny Hathaway
- Everything Is Everything (1970)
- With Odell Brown
- Free Delivery (1970)
- With The Intentions
- Dig It / Blowing With The Wind - Single (1971)
- With Jack McDuff
- The Heatin' System (Cadet, 1972)
- With Terry Callier
- What Colour is Love (1972)
- I Just Can't Help Myself (1973)
- With Charles Bevel
- Meet "Mississippi Charles" Bevel (1973)
- With Penny Goodwin
- Portrait of a Gemini (1974)
- With Ramsey Lewis
- Sun Goddess (1974)
- With Earth, Wind & Fire
- Gratitude (1975)
- Spirit (1976)
- All 'n All (1977)
- I Am (1979)
- Faces (1980)
- Raise! (1981)
- Powerlight (1983)
- 3 - (1991) - Compilation 3-CD Boxset.
- The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire (2002) - Compilation.
- Live in Rio (2002)
- The Essential Plus (2004) - Compilation 2 CD + DVD.
- The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire (2008) - 3 CD Compilation Limited Edition.
- With Sky
- Sky (1979)
- With Phil Collins
- Face Value ("Missed Again", "If Leaving Me Is Easy" 1981)
- Hello, I Must Be Going! ("I Cannot Believe It's True" 1982)
- Live at Perkins Palace (1983) - VHS Video
- No Jacket Required ("One More Night", "Who Said I Would?", "Inside Out" 1985)
- No Ticket Required"" (1985) - VHS Video
- ...But Seriously ("All Of My Life" 1989)
- Serious Hits... Live! (1990) - CD
- Seriously Live (1990) - VHS Video
- ...But Seriously, The Videos (1992) - VHS Video
- ...Hits (1998)
- The Platinum Collection (2004) - 3 CD box set
- Love Songs: A Compilation... Old and New (2004)
- Hits Live 1990-1997 (2004) - DVD
- The Singles (2016)
- With Frida
- Something's Going On (1982) - Album produced by Phil Collins, with Daryl Stuermer, Mo Foster, The Phenix Horns, etc.
- With Philip Bailey
- The Wonders of His Love - (1984) - Sax on I Will No Wise Cast You Out.
- Chinese Wall (1984) - With Phil Collins, Nathan East, The Phenix Horns, etc.
- Chinese Wall / Inside Out (1988) - Double Compilation Album.
- With Heaven 17
- How Men Are (1984)
- "This Is Mine" (1984) - Single
- Pleasure One (1986)
- With Shuybah
- Shuybah (1984)
- With France Gall
- Le Tour de France (1988)
- Various Artists
- Knebworth (1990) - Plays with Phil Collins Band on Sussudio.
- Live At Knebworth - Parts One, Two & Three (1990) - Plays with Phil Collins & The Serious Band on In The Air Tonight & Sussudio as well as with Genesis & The Serious Band together on Turn it on again Medley.
References
- ^ "Don Myrick". IMDb. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- ^ CHAZANOV, MATHIS (1993-08-15). "Questions Cloud Life, Death of Saxophonist : Music: Those who loved Donald Myrick are still in shock over his fatal shooting by police in an apartment where drugs allegedly were found". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- ^ "Don Myrick | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-11-09.
- ^ Ervin, Mike (1994). Hey Donald (Media notes). Roscoe Mitchell.
- ^ a b "Saxophonist Donald Myrick fatally shot in drug probe", Jet, 23 August 1993.
- ^ EURPublisher01 (2020-07-30). "Remembering Don Myrick, the Man Behind Epic Horn Riffs From Your Childhood – From 'Sun Goddess' to 'Sussudio' (EUR Video Throwback)". EURweb. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "One for the Road: The Pharaohs". The Chicagoist. Archived from the original on 2017-11-06. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
- ^ Chazanov, Mathis. Obituary. Los Angeles Times, 15 August 1993.
- ^ Katel, Jacob (2010-09-14). "Top 10 Murdered Musicians You've Never Heard Of". Miami New Times. Retrieved 2021-05-22.
- ^ CHAZANOV, MATHIS (15 August 1993). "Questions Cloud Life, Death of Saxophonist : Music: Those who loved Donald Myrick are still in shock over his fatal shooting by police in an apartment where drugs allegedly were found". Retrieved 10 May 2018 – via Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Associated Press. "Lawsuit settled in Donald Myrick's death", 4 August 1995.
External links
- Don Myrick at Find a Grave
- Don Myrick Discography : https://www.discogs.com/fr/artist/253975-Don-Myrick?page=1
- Phil Collins Discography : https://www.discogs.com/artist/101028-Phil-Collins
- 1940 births
- 1993 deaths
- Musicians from Chicago
- Malcolm X College alumni
- African-American saxophonists
- American saxophonists
- American male saxophonists
- Deaths by firearm in California
- African Americans shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States
- Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery
- 20th-century American musicians
- 20th-century saxophonists
- 20th-century American male musicians
- The Pharaohs members
- 20th-century African-American musicians