Louis Satterfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis Satterfield
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Louis Satterfield in Pasadena, 1982
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Louis Edward Satterfield |
| Born | April 3, 1937 Shaw, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | September 27, 2004 (aged 67) Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Genres | Blues, soul, jazz, pop, rock, R&B, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | bass, trombone, vocals |
| Years active | 1971-2004 |
| Associated acts | The Pharaohs, Earth, Wind & Fire, Phenix Horns |
Louis Edward Satterfield (born April 3, 1937 – died September 27, 2004) was an amazing American musician. He played both the bass guitar and the trombone. Louis was a key member of two famous bands, The Pharaohs and the Phenix Horns. He also worked with many other big names in music. These included Earth, Wind & Fire, Phil Collins, and B.B. King. He helped create some truly memorable songs!
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Life and Music Journey
Louis Satterfield was born in Shaw, Mississippi, on April 3, 1937. This town is in the Mississippi Delta region.
Starting in Chicago
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Louis went to Crane Junior College in Chicago. There, he formed a jazz trio called The Jazzmen. He played with Charles Handy on trumpet and Don Myrick on saxophone. They were joined by other talented musicians like Fred Humphrey, Ernest McCarthy, and Maurice White.
Louis, Maurice White, and Charles Handy also worked as studio musicians at Chess Records in Chicago. Louis played the bass on many recordings. One of his most famous bass lines was for Fontella Bass's song "Rescue Me". Maurice White played drums on that song too.
From The Jazzmen to The Pharaohs
The Jazzmen often played live concerts with Philip Cohran and his Artistic Heritage Ensemble. These performances led to the creation of a new band called The Pharaohs. In 1971, The Pharaohs recorded their first album, The Awakening.
Maurice White later left The Pharaohs to join the Ramsey Lewis Trio. After that, he started his own very successful band, Earth, Wind & Fire. While at Chess Records, Louis Satterfield also taught electric bass. One of his students was Maurice White's younger brother, Verdine White, who became a famous bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire.
Joining Earth, Wind & Fire: The Phenix Horns
In 1975, Maurice White wanted to add more horn instruments to Earth, Wind & Fire's sound. So, Louis Satterfield and his bandmate Don Myrick joined the group. They became part of the band's horn section, first known as the EWF Horns. Later, they became famous as the Phenix Horns. They toured with Earth, Wind & Fire and played on all their albums from 1975 to 1983.
Louis Satterfield and Verdine White even wrote a book together. It was called Playing the Bass Guitar and was published in 1978. In 1979, another trumpet player, Rahmlee Michael Davis, joined the horn section for the album I Am.
Working with Phil Collins
In 1981, the Phenix Horns teamed up with Genesis drummer Phil Collins. They helped record his first solo album, Face Value. Their precise playing was perfect for fast songs like "Behind the Lines." They also played on Genesis's song "No Reply at All" and "Paperlate".
The Phenix Horns became very close with Phil Collins. They decided to tour with him and record more of his albums. They also continued to play with Earth, Wind & Fire sometimes. In Phil Collins's shows, they did more than just play their instruments. They also sang and played percussion. Louis Satterfield sometimes played the baritone saxophone to make the horn section's sound even richer.
After the 1985–1986 tour, Michael Harris left the group. Harry Kim replaced him. The horn section played a smaller role in Phil Collins's live shows after that. Don Myrick also left the band after the 1990 live album Serious Hits... Live!. He was replaced by Andrew Woolfolk. By 1996, the Phenix Horns group had broken up.
Louis Satterfield continued to perform until he passed away on September 27, 2004, in Chicago. He was 67 years old.
Images for kids
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Louis Satterfield in Pasadena, 1982
