Michael Henderson, Legendary Bassist For Miles Davis and Stevie Wonder, Dies at 71

JPRoche, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Acclaimed bassist and R&B vocalist Michael Henderson, who had been admitted to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta in early July for an undisclosed illness, is dead. He was 71.

The jazz legend's family broke the news on his official Facebook page Thursday.

“Singer, Songwriter, Bass Innovator, Music Producer, Father and Son Michael Henderson has peacefully made his transition surrounded by family and loved ones today at his home, Atlanta Georgia…," the post read in part. "Bless his heart and soul… He touched the lives of many and returned that love through his many live concerts, music recordings, social media, interviews and incessant touring which he loved …”

Considered to be one of the most notable bass guitarists of the jazz fusion era, Henderson played and recorded with some of R&B's greatest acts —including Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. He is perhaps best known, however, for his work with jazz titan Miles Davis.

After a chance meeting with the superstar in the early 1970s, while he was playing for Marvin Gaye, Henderson teamed up with him in a partnership that lasted nearly a decade. His work helped set the pace on Davis' early fusion albums, "Jack Johnson" (1971), "Live-Evil" (1971) and "Agharta" (1975).

The bassist later recalled that he was playing for Wonder at New York City’s Copacabana when Davis made a bold proclamation after the show that changed the course of his career.

"He said to Stevie, “I’m taking your f—ing bassist.” Henderson told All About Jazz. "I don’t think Stevie heard him because he talked like that (Henderson’s best Miles impression). The next thing I knew, I got a call from Miles and I asked my friend, “What do you know about this Miles guy?” He said, “If Miles Davis is calling you, you better get your bass guitar and run.” I showed up at his house, he flew me in that day. Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, and John McLaughlin were in the house along with Herbie. They were getting ready to do a session the next day, which was Jack Johnson. That was my first record with Miles, Jack Johnson in 1970."

Dangit, we lost one of the Real One's our Bass brother Mr. Michael Henderson (July 7, 1951-July 19,2022) was an American bass guitarist and vocalist. He was known for his work with Miles Davis, Dramatic's, Stevie Wonder & many others. Prayers going out to his family & friends!🙏 pic.twitter.com/ZzUFztEKfL

— Bootsy Collins (@Bootsy_Collins) July 20, 2022

Born in Yazoo City, Mississippi, Henderson was an accomplished vocalist as well. He moved to Detroit in the '60s to begin his career as a session musician, but by the mid-'70s he began releasing solo albums of his own.

His soulful tenor vocals during guest spots on jazz drummer Norman Connors’ R&B hits: 1975’s “Valentine Love,” alongside singer Jean Carn, in addition to 1976’s “We Both Need Each Other” with Phyllis Hyman and “You Are My Starship,” grabbed the attention of music fans nationwide.

"You Are My Starship" reached number five on Billboard's US R&B chart and number one on the Jazz chart. Henderson's solo debut, "Gold," was also released that year, earning him a hit with a cover of the Dramatics’ “Be My Girl.”

Henderson went on to produce seven more albums, scoring hits like “Take Me I’m Yours," “In the Nighttime,” “Wide Receiver (Part 1)” and “Can’t We Fall in Love Again” along the way. His final solo album was 1986’s "Bedtime Stories."

Deion Sanders to Donate Half His Salary to Jackson State Football Facility Renovation

Deion Sanders

During his time as a professional athlete, Deion Sanders was known for doing things his way.

Given the choice between a football career and playing baseball after college, he chose to do both and remains the only player to have appeared in both a Super Bowl and a World Series.

His flashy demeanor on and off the field earned him the nickname "Neon Deion," and his penchant for leveling his game up when needed, clenched the star his preferred alias "Prime Time."

So, it comes as no surprise that since joining the college coaching ranks that the man widely considered to be one of the best cornerbacks to ever play in the NFL continues to employ his own unique methodology when it comes to managing a college program.

Much to the delight of Jackson State University fans and alumni, it is one that is paying major dividends for the school on the football field.

Since taking over the head coaching job at the historically Black institution, Sanders, now going by "Coach Prime" at his own request, has led the school to back-to-back winning seasons. In his second season (fall 2021) he coached the Tigers to a program-record 11 wins, the Southwestern Athletic Conference title and was awarded the Eddie Robinson Award as the top Football Championship Subdivision head coach.

Most coaches would let those results speak for them but Sanders — who has encouraged a culture of hard work mixed with some flashes of the over-the-top theatrics that endeared him to some fans and made him a pariah to others in his program —is not most coaches.

He is doubling down on his investment in the program's future.

Monday Sanders, whose personal wealth is estimated to be between $35 and $40 million by various media sources, announced that he will donate half his salary to help finish the school's football operations facility.

"I'll put half on it to get this done," said Sanders, who signed a four-year deal with the school worth an average of $300,000 per year in 2020. "If you don't believe me, check me. I will send you the receipts."

According to Sanders, by making the donation, he hopes to ensure the facility is ready before the season starts. Jackson State will open the season against Florida A&M on Sept. 4 in Miami.

Kanye West Pulls Out of Rolling Loud Festival, Kid Cudi to Replace Him as Headliner

The artist formerly known as Kanye West seems to be doing his Kanye best not to headline a show.

Just a couple of months after pulling out of his headlining performance at Coachella, the 45-year-old rapper, who legally changed his name to Ye last year, has done it again.

Rolling Loud announced that West will not be performing at this year's festival Sunday, tweeting on its official account, "Due to circumstances outside of our control, Ye will no longer be performing at Rolling Loud Miami 2022."

West was set to headline the first day of the festival, which runs July 22 through 24, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The festival announced that his protege, sometimes collaborator and muse, Kid Cudi, would take his place.

"Please welcome @KiDCuDi," continued the tweet.

Cudi's career owes much to West, who signed him as a producer in 2008 to his Good Music label. The imprint released his first three albums, and Cudi remained on good enough terms with his former boss that the duo released an eponymously named collaborative album as Kids See Ghosts in 2018.

Earlier this year, however, West seemed to distance himself from Cudi following the dissolution of his marriage to Kim Kardashian, allegedly due to the latter's friendship with Kardashian's new beau Pete Davidson.

In a since-deleted Instagram post, Ye posted a photograph of a handwritten message that read in part, “Just so everyone knows, [Kid] Cudi will not be on Donda 2′ because he’s friends with you know who.”

Rolling Loud co-founders Tariq Cherif and Matt Zingler said they "were looking forward to Ye headlining Rolling Loud Miami 2022,” but things just did not work out in an official statement about the lineup change.

“We spent months working with him and his team on the performance. Unfortunately, Ye has decided that he will no longer be performing," they said in a statement. "This is the first time a headliner has ever pulled off our show and though we don’t take it lightly, we wish him the best.”