Died On This Date (July 30, 1993) Don Myrick / Earth, Wind & Fire
themusicsover Don Myrick
1948 – July 30, 1993
Saxophonist Don Myrick was the section leader for the Phenix Horns, Esq and lent his talents to hit recordings by Earth, Wind & Fire and Phil Collins during the ’70s and early ’80s. Prior to his seven years with Earth, Wind & Fire, Myrick played witht he likes of Bobby “Blue” Bland, Stanley Turrentine, Grover Washington Jr., and Carlos Santana. In 1978, Myrick won a Best Instrumental Grammy for his superb playing on Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Runnin’.” Myrick also had a drug problem that lead to his tragic death in 1993. While serving a warrent on a drug investigation, an LAPD officer knocked on Myrick’s apartment door. After no answer, the officer entered the home with a key provided by the property manager to find Myrick standing there with what he believed to be a weopen in his hand. The officer immediately shot and killed Myrick who was actually holding a barbeque lighter. A search of the apartment apparently turned up a small amount of crack cocaine. Two years later, Myrick’s widow was awarded $400,000 in a wrongful death suit against the City of Los Angeles.
Eric Gale was a jazz guitarist whose skills made him one of the most in-demand session players, appearing on some 500 albums. Those he recorded with include Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, 
Grover Washington Jr. was one of the most popular saxophonists in jazz, if not all music. His appeal was in that he played in a more soul or R&B style than straight ahead jazz. In doing so, he was one of the forefathers of the smooth jazz genre. Washington began learning to play the sax when he was just eight years old. After he got out of the Army, he settled in New York City and later, Philadelphia where he began his professional career as a sideman. In 1971, he released his debut album, Big City Blues. Over the next 25 years, he released nearly two dozen albums including 1980’s platinum selling Winelight, which earned him two Grammys. On December 17, 1999, Grover Washington collapsed while waiting to tape a segment of CBS’ The Early Show. He died at a nearby hospital later that night, cause of death, a massive heart attack. He was 56.
