Andrew Woolfolk
{{Short description|American saxophonist (1950–2022)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Andrew Woolfolk
| image = Earth Wind and Fire (Andrew Woolfolk).jpg
| caption = Woolfolk with Earth, Wind & Fire in 1982
| birth_name = Andrew Paul Woolfolk II
| alias =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1950|10|11}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2022|4|24|1950|10|11}}
| birth_place = San Antonio, Texas, U.S.{{cn|date=April 2022}}
| death_place = Aurora, Colorado, U.S.
| instrument = {{hlist|Saxophone|flute|percussion}}
| genre = {{flatlist|
| occupation = Saxophonist
| years_active = 1973–2022
| label =
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
- Earth, Wind & Fire
- Philip Bailey
- Stanley Turrentine
- Phil Collins
- Twennynine
- Deniece Williams
- Level 42
}}
| website =
}}
Andrew Paul Woolfolk II (October 11, 1950{{cite web |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/andrew-woolfolk-earth-wind-and-fire-saxophone-player-dead-obituary-1342968/ |title=Andrew Woolfolk, Earth, Wind, and Fire's Classic-Era Saxophonist, Dead at 71 |last=Blistein |first=Jon |date=27 April 2022 |website=RollingStone |access-date=2 January 2023}} – April 24, 2022) was an American saxophonist. Woolfolk was a longtime member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire from 1973 to 1985, and from 1987 to 1993. He also collaborated with artists such as Deniece Williams, Stanley Turrentine, Phil Collins, Twennynine, Philip Bailey, and Level 42.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/andrew-woolfolk-mn0000041721|title=Andrew Woolfolk|publisher=Allmusic|website=allmusic.com}}
Biography
Woolfolk attended East High School in Denver, Colorado. In 1972 he joined the band Earth, Wind & Fire as a saxophonist and became a longstanding member. Woolfolk was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire in 2000.{{cite web |title=Earth, Wind and Fire |url=https://www.rockhall.com/inductees/earth-wind-and-fire |website=The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |access-date=25 April 2022}} In 2017, Woolfolk was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=https://www.westword.com/music/colorado-music-hall-of-fame-honors-east-high-school-jazz-greats-9711615|title=Colorado Music Hall of Fame Honors East High School Jazz Greats|author=Solomon, Jon|date=November 21, 2017|publisher=Westword|website=westword.com}}
Woolfolk died on April 24, 2022, after a long illness.{{cite news |last=Anna |first=Anna|date=27 April 2022|title=Death of saxophonist Andrew Woolfolk, member|url=https://havannews.com/2022/04/27/death-of-saxophonist-andrew-woolfolk-member/ |magazine=HavanNews|access-date=27 April 2022}}
Collaborations
Aside from his work with EW&F, Woolfolk played the saxophone on Valerie Carter's 1977 album Just a Stone's Throw Away, Deniece Williams' 1977 LP Song Bird, Twennynine's 1979 album Best of Friends, and Stanley Turrentine's 1981 LP Tender Togetherness.{{cite work|title=Twennynine with Lenny White: Best of Friends|date=1979|publisher=Elektra Records}}
He later performed on Level 42's 1983 album Standing in the Light, Philip Bailey's 1984 Grammy-nominated LP The Wonders of His Love, and Bailey's 1986 Grammy-winning album Triumph.{{cite work|title=Philip Bailey: The Wonders of His Love|date=1984|publisher=Myrrh Records}}{{cite web|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/philip-bailey|title=Philip Bailey|publisher=The Recording Academy|website=grammy.com}}{{cite work|title=Philip Bailey: Triumph|date=1986|publisher=Word Records}}
Woolfolk also played the saxophone on Tracie Spencer's 1988 self titled album and on Phil Collins' 1996 album Dance Into the Light.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{discogs artist|Andrew Woolfolk}}
- {{imdb name|0941193}}
{{Earth, Wind & Fire}}
{{2000 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Woolfolk, Andrew}}
Category:20th-century African-American musicians
Category:21st-century African-American musicians
Category:American multi-instrumentalists
Category:Earth, Wind & Fire members
Category:20th-century American saxophonists
Category:21st-century American saxophonists
Category:East High School (Denver, Colorado) alumni
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