Don Myrick

Don Myrick

Don Myrick in Pasadena, 1982
Background information
Birth name Donald Myrick
Born (1940-04-06)April 6, 1940
Chicago, Illinois, US
Died July 30, 1993(1993-07-30) (aged 53)
Los Angeles, California, US
Genres Blues, soul, jazz, pop, rock, R&B, funk
Occupation(s) Musician
Instruments Saxophone, vocals
Years active 1960s–1990s
Associated acts The Pharaohs, Earth, Wind & Fire, Phenix Horns

Donald Myrick (April 6, 1940 – July 30, 1993) was a saxophonist.

He played alto, tenor and soprano sax and was 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)[1]

Some of his most famous saxophone solos include Phil Collins' "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.[2] Myrick appeared on albums by artists including Bobby “Blue” Bland, The Dells, Regina Belle, the Mighty Clouds of Joy, and Heaven 17.

Earth, Wind & Fire's single "Runnin'" earned him the 1977/78 Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental.[2]

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.

Death

Myrick was fatally shot in Los Angeles, California by a Santa Monica policeman during a narcotics investigation.[3] 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. Myrick died in the hospital shortly afterwards, aged 53 years.[4]

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.[5]

Decades after his death, Myrick's body remains in an unmarked grave (Lot 1034, Grave B, West end of plot) in the El Portal section of the Inglewood Park Cemetery[6] in the South Los Angeles community of Inglewood, California.

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.

Discography

With Howlin' Wolf 
With Philip Cohran & The Artistic Heritage Ensemble 
With Donny Hathaway 
With Jack McDuff'
With Terry Callier 
With Charles Bevel 
With Penny Goodwin 
With Ramsey Lewis 
With Earth, Wind & Fire 
With Sky 
With Phil Collins 
With Frida 
With Philip Bailey 
With Heaven 17 
With Shuybah 
With France Gall 
Various Artists 

Notes

  1. ↑ Ervin, Mike (1994). Hey Donald (Media notes). Roscoe Mitchell.
  2. 1 2 "Saxophonist Donald Myrick fatally shot in drug probe", Jet, 23 August 1993.
  3. ↑ Chazanov, Mathis. Obituary. The Los Angeles Times, 15 August 1993.
  4. ↑ http://articles.latimes.com/1993-08-15/news/we-24271_1_donald-myrick
  5. ↑ Associated Press. "Lawsuit settled in Donald Myrick’s death", 4 August 1995.
  6. ↑ http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=3837
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