Ernie Fields Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 29, 1934 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | March 8, 2024 (aged 89) Pasadena, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Film score, jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
Ernie Fields Jr. (July 29, 1934 – March 8, 2024) was an American baritone saxophonist and session musician.
Son of notable musician Ernie Fields,[1] he worked with blues, soul and funk artists including B. B. King, Bobby Bland, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Rick James, and Marvin Gaye.[2]
Fields graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1951[3][4] and then attended Howard University, playing with his father's band during breaks.[5] In the 1990s he began touring with trombonist Fred Wesley, playing bagpipes as well as saxophone.[1]
Fields wrote the score for the 1978 film Disco Godfather.
On the April 6, 2010 episode of American Idol, Fields played the didgeridoo during Crystal Bowersox's performance of the Lennon and McCartney composition "Come Together".
Ernie Fields Jr. was music contractor for American Idol,[6] The Voice, and X Factor.[7]
Fields lived in Pasadena, California. He died in his sleep on March 8, 2024, at the age of 89.[8]