Andrew Love, the tenor saxophone player for arguably the greatest horn section of the last half century, the Memphis Horns, passed away on Thursday at his home in Memphis after a long battle with Alzheimer's Disease. He was 70.
Originally formed as a sextet, the Memphis Horns eventually paired down to a duo of Love and Wayne Jackson on trumpet. Their playing helped establish the Memphis Sound and led to playing on 52 number one records, 113 top tens and 14 Grammy award winners.
Love was born in Memphis and grew up the son of a Baptist pastor. After completing college at Langston University in Oklahoma, he returned to Memphis where he started doing studio work at Hi Records and eventually moved over to Stax. The Memphis Horns grew out of those early sessions and would eventually appear on virtually every Stax release that included horns up including those of Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas and many more.
In 1969, they left Stax when the studio tried to stop them from playing on other company's recordings and branched out to play with artists from a variety of genres from Neil Diamond to Al Green, Elvis Presley to the Doobie Brothers. Later in the 80's and 90's, they became part of the Robert Cray Band and released their own album, Flame Out (1992).
Love continued working until he was forced to retire in 2004 after being diagnosed with Alzheimer's. The Memphis Horns were inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame in 2008 and were given the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.
Stax' Al Bell told the L.A. Times "Stax Records would not have become what it became without them. I love saxophone players, and I have many saxophone players I admire and hold in high esteem. But I have never heard a saxophone player who affects and penetrates me like Andrew Love. It was the spirit in him, and you could feel it in the music. He could arouse your deepest emotions, but he would do it gently, softly. It was like he was making love to your soul."
Love is survived by his wife, four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A short list of some of the records on which Love played:
Try a Little Tenderness - Otis Redding
Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
Knock on Wood - Eddie Floyd
Hold On, I'm Comin' - Sam & Dave
In the Midnight Hour - Wilson Picket
Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond
Let's Stay Together - Al Green
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
(Sittin' on the) Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
When a Man Loves a Woman - Percy Sledge
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Theme From Shaft - Isaac Hayes
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark - Robert Cray
Roll With It - Steve Winwood
I Gotcha - Joe Tex
I'm Still in Love With You - Al Green
Rock Steady - Aretha Franlkin
Hooked on a Feeling - B.J. Thomas
Think - Aretha Franklin
Angel of Harlem - U2
Takin' it To the Streets - Doobie Brothers
