Andrew Woolfolk, longtime saxophonist for Earth, Wind & Fire, died Sunday following a lengthy illness. He was 71.
Earth, Wind & Fire co-lead singer Philip Bailey confirmed Woolfolk’s death on Instagram.
Although no official cause of death has been released, Bailey told fans that Woolfolk had been “ill (for) over 6 years.”
“I met him in high school, and we quickly became friends and bandmates,” Bailey wrote, adding, “He has Transitioned on to the forever, from this Land of the dying to the Land of the Living. Great memories. Great talent. Funny. Competitive. Quick witted. And always styling. Booski… I’ll see you on the other side, my friend.”
Although not a founding member of the band, Woolfolk’s masterful sax skills elevated the already eclectic EW&F sound that, over the years, melded R&B, jazz, soul, funk, disco, pop, EDM, Latin and Afro pop vibes.
Born Oct. 11, 1950, in Texas, Woolfolk was raised in Colorado where he later met Bailey, who tapped him to join the band in 1973, Rolling Stone reported.
According to the band’s official roster, Woolfolk played the saxophone, flute and other percussion instruments with the group intermittently until 1993, BET reported.
“Woolfolk’s rip-roaring saxophone solos would floor concertgoers and although he wasn’t the group’s leading force offstage, he possessed the unmistakable charisma of a star while on it,” the entertainment news site eulogized.
Woolfolk also performed with both Phil Collins and Bailey on their solo projects, and in 2000 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside his EW&F bandmates, BET reported.
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