Don Myrick
Encyclopedia
Don Myrick 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)
Some of his most famous saxophone solos include Phil Collins
' "One More Night", 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
. 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.
, California
by a Santa Monica
policeman during a narcotics investigation. 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 hospital shortly afterwards, aged 53 years.
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, wife, and three daughters; Lauren, Shani, and Shirika Myrick. In 1995, their wrongful death lawsuit against the city was settled for $400,000.
Sadly, though a large settlement was awarded to Myrick's family, no one ever marked his grave. Decades after his death, he still lies in an unmarked grave in the El Portal section of the Inglewood Park Cemetery
in South Los Angeles
community of Inglewood, California
.
He played alto, tenor and soprano sax and was a member of Earth Wind & Fire's original horn section, The Phenix Horns Esq.
Phenix Horns
are Earth, Wind & Fire, Phil Collins and Genesis's brass main section. The four members were Don Myrick on saxophones, Louis "Lui Lui" Satterfield on trombone, Rahmlee Michael Davis on trumpet and Michael Harris on trumpet.-The Pharaohs:...
from 1975 through 1982. Previously, Myrick had been a member of the musical group The Pharaohs
The Pharaohs
The Pharaohs, an American soul/jazz/funk group, were formed in 1962 out of a student band, The Jazzmen, at Crane Junior College in Chicago, Illinois. This early incarnation comprised Louis Satterfield on trombone, Charles Handy on trumpet, and Don Myrick on alto saxophone. They were joined by Fred...
. Myrick is also credited as a founding member of the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians
The Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians is a non-profit organization, founded in Chicago, Illinois, United States, by pianist/composer Muhal Richard Abrams, pianist Jodie Christian, drummer Steve McCall, and composer Phil Cohran....
(AACM)
Some of his most famous saxophone solos include Phil Collins
Phil Collins
Philip David Charles "Phil" Collins, LVO is an English singer-songwriter, drummer, pianist and actor best known as a drummer and vocalist for British progressive rock group Genesis and as a solo artist....
' "One More Night", 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
After the Love Has Gone
"After the Love Has Gone" is a 1979 hit single for Earth, Wind & Fire, written by David Foster, Jay Graydon, and Bill Champlin for the album I Am. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.-Reception:...
" from the album I Am
I Am (Earth, Wind & Fire album)
I Am is the ninth studio album by the R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in 1979 on Columbia Records. The album features the singles "Boogie Wonderland" with The Emotions and "After the Love Has Gone". Also recorded in the I Am sessions were "September" and "Love Music" which were both included...
. He performed with many prominent musicians including Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr.
Grover Washington, Jr. was an American jazz-funk / soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with George Benson, John Klemmer, David Sanborn, Bob James, Chuck Mangione, Herb Alpert, and Spyro Gyra, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre.He wrote some of his material and...
and Carlos Santana
Carlos Santana
Carlos Augusto Alves Santana is a Mexican rock guitarist. Santana became famous in the late 1960s and early 1970s with his band, Santana, which pioneered rock, salsa and jazz fusion...
. Myrick appeared on albums by artists including Bobby “Blue” Bland
Bobby Bland
Robert Calvin Bland better known as Bobby "Blue" Bland, is an American singer of blues and soul. He is an original member of the Beale Streeters, and is sometimes referred to as the "Lion of the Blues"...
, The Dells
The Dells
The Dells are an R&B and crossover musical group. Their successful recordings spanned more than four decades. Formed in 1952 after attending high school together, the Dells' repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul, disco and contemporary rhythm and blues...
, Regina Belle
Regina Belle
Regina Belle is a singer-songwriter who first surfaced in the late 1980s. She is notable for her Grammy award winning duet with Peabo Bryson, "A Whole New World".-Biography:Regina Belle was born in Englewood, New Jersey...
, the Mighty Clouds of Joy
Mighty Clouds of Joy
The Mighty Clouds of Joy is an American gospel quartet.-Career:The Mighty Clouds of Joy were formed in 1960 and started out in a tradition-based style. Eventually they added soul, R&B, and rock flourishes into their musical mix without diluting the essential religious essence of their material...
, and Heaven 17
Heaven 17
Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
.
Earth, Wind & Fire's single "Runnin'" earned him the 1977/78 Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
for Best R&B Instrumental.
Death
Myrick was fatally shot in Los AngelesLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
by a Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
policeman during a narcotics investigation. While attempting to serve a search warrant
Search warrant
A search warrant is a court order issued by a Magistrate, judge or Supreme Court Official that authorizes law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a crime and to confiscate evidence if it is found....
, 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 hospital shortly afterwards, aged 53 years.
Following a funeral service at a Baptist church, his body was buried at Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded in 1905 in Inglewood, California. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed here.-List of notable and celebrity interments at Inglewood Park:...
in Los Angeles County.
Myrick was survived by his mother, wife, and three daughters; Lauren, Shani, and Shirika Myrick. In 1995, their wrongful death lawsuit against the city was settled for $400,000.
Sadly, though a large settlement was awarded to Myrick's family, no one ever marked his grave. Decades after his death, he still lies in an unmarked grave in the El Portal section of the Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery
Inglewood Park Cemetery was founded in 1905 in Inglewood, California. A number of notable people, including entertainment and sports personalities, have been interred or entombed here.-List of notable and celebrity interments at Inglewood Park:...
in South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, often abbreviated as South L.A. and formerly South Central Los Angeles, is the official name for a large geographic and cultural portion lying to the southwest and southeast of downtown Los Angeles, California. The area was formerly called South Central, and is still widely known...
community of Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
.