Andrew Woolfolk | |
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Birth name | Andrew Paul Woolfolk II |
Born | San Antonio, Texas, U.S.[ citation needed] | October 11, 1950
Died | April 24, 2022 Aurora, Colorado, U.S. | (aged 71)
Genres | |
Occupation(s) | Saxophonist |
Instrument(s) |
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Years active | 1973–2022 |
Andrew Paul Woolfolk II (October 11, 1950 [1] – 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. [2] [3]
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. [4] In 2017, Woolfolk was inducted into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. [2]
Woolfolk died on April 24, 2022, after a long illness. [5]
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. [3] [6]
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. [3] [7] [8] [9]
Woolfolk also played the saxophone on Tracie Spencer's 1988 self titled album and on Phil Collins' 1996 album Dance Into the Light. [3]