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Phil Upchurch, a prolific session musician who played guitar on records by artists such as Michael Jackson, Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway and George Benson, died Nov. 23 in Los Angeles. He was 84.

His death was confirmed by his wife, Sonya Maddox-Upchurch, who didn’t specify a cause or say where in L.A. he died.

Among the classic songs Upchurch took part in creating in the studio were Chaka Khan’s “ I’m Every Woman ,” which topped Billboard’s R&B chart for three weeks in 1978, and “ Workin’ Day and Night ,” from Jackson’s 1979 solo breakthrough, “Off the Wall.” He also played on Hathaway’s holiday staple “This Christmas” and on 1972’s “Live” (which was recorded at the Troubad

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