Ernie Fields Jr.
Ernie Fields Jr. was an American baritone saxophonist and session musician.
Son of notable musician Ernie Fields, he worked with blues, soul and funk artists including B. B. King, Bobby Bland, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Rick James, and Marvin Gaye.
Fields graduated from Booker T. [Washington High School |Booker T. Washington High School] in 1951 and then attended Howard University, playing with his father's band during breaks. In the 1990s he began touring with trombonist Fred Wesley, playing bagpipes as well as saxophone.
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, The Voice, and X Factor.
Fields lived in Pasadena, California. He died in his sleep on March 8, 2024, at the age of 89.
Discography
- 1978: Here, My Dear – Marvin Gaye
- 1978: Ride a Wild Horse - Motown Special Disco Version Single – Ernie Fields Jr.
- 1979: Wild and Peaceful – Teena Marie
- 1995: Conversation Peace – Stevie Wonder
- 2008: One Kind Favor – B. B. King
| 2013 | Made in California | The Beach Boys | Saxophone |
| 2012 | Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. B.B. King | B.B. King | Sax |
| 2011 | A Woman Falling Out of Love | Aretha Franklin | Contractor |
| 2010 | American Idol: Season 9 | Music Contractor, Flute, Saxophone | |
| 2010 | Mainstream Straight-Ahead | Stix Hooper | Sax |
| 2009 | American Idol Season 8 | Woodwind | |
| 2009 | You Fooled Me/Prime Time | Grey & Hanks | Saxophone |
| 2008 | One Kind Favor | B.B. King | Sax |
| 2007 | The Heat of the Blues | Albert King | Main Personnel, Flute, Saxophone |
| 2006 | It's Never Too Late | Marla Gibbs | Woodwind, Contractor |
| 2006 | Milestone Profiles | Jimmy Smith | Sax |
| 2005 | A Time to Love | Stevie Wonder | Contractor |
| 2005 | Genius & Friends | Ray Charles | Contractor |
| 2005 | Ma Vérité | Johnny Hallyday | Production Executive |
| 2005 | Shelter in the Rain | Stevie Wonder | Contractor |
| 2004 | Reflections Of | Lamont Dozier | Production Arrangement |
| 2003 | Portrait | Paul Cacia | Saxophone |
| 2003 | The Opening Act | Paul Cacia | Saxophone |
| 2003 | Wuda Cuda Shuda | Fred Wesley | Flute, Bagpipes, Sax, Sax, Horn Arrangements, Group Member, Composer |
| 2002 | An American Original | Lamont Dozier | Production Arrangement |
| 2001 | Fourever | The Four Tops | Saxophone |
| 2001 | The Cosmic Storyteller | Unicorn | Saxophone |
| 2000 | Live from the Nation's Capital | Buddy Collette | Woodwind |
| 1998 | VH1 Divas Live | Saxophone, Contractor, Music Contractor | |
| 1997 | A Dramatic Christmas: The Very Best Christmas Of All | The Dramatics | Sax |
| 1997 | Teen Beat, Vol. 4 | Performer | |
| 1997 | The Very Best of Diane Schuur | Diane Schuur | Saxophone |
| 1996 | Groovy, Vol. 1: A Collection of Rare Jazzy Club Tracks | Saxophone | |
| 1996 | Surrender to Jonathan | Jonathan Richman | Horn |
| 1995 | Conversation Peace | Stevie Wonder | Sax |
| 1995 | Jamie/Guyden Story | Performer | |
| 1995 | The Master 1961-1984 | Marvin Gaye | Sax |
| 1994 | The Best of Parlet | Parlet | Horn |
| 1993 | Caché | Kirk Whalum | Sax |
| 1993 | Get the Feeling | Two Tons o' Fun | Horn |
| 1993 | Miki Sings Billie: A Tribute to Billie Holiday | Miki Howard | Contractor |
| 1993 | Reggae Ambassadors: 20th Anniversary Collection | Third World | Sax, Sax |
| 1993 | Sum Serious Blues | Jimmy Smith | Sax |
| 1993 | The Best of Third World | Third World | Sax, Sax |
| 1993 | The Ultimate Collection | Albert King | Saxophone |
| 1992 | Worthy | Rodney Friend | Horn |
| 1991 | Atlantic Blues | Sax | |
| 1991 | Burnin' | Patti LaBelle | Saxophone |
| 1991 | Pure Schuur | Diane Schuur | Saxophone |
| 1990 | Dingo | Miles Davis / Michel Legrand | Music Consultant |
| 1989 | Higher Ground | Vernessa Mitchell | String Contractor, Horn Conductor |
| 1987 | Katt Walk | Kathy Mathis | Horn |
| 1986 | Atlantic Blues: Vocalists | Sax | |
| 1985 | More than Music | Phil & Brenda Nicholas | Contractor |
| 1984 | Ladies & the Babies | Frankie Lee | Sax |
| 1983 | All the Way Strong | Third World | Sax, Sax |
| 1983 | On the Line | Michael Wycoff | String Contractor |
| 1982 | Love Changes | O.C. Smith | Saxophone |
| 1981 | Swing Street Cafe | Joe Sample / David T. Walker | Main Personnel, Horn |
| 1981 | This Kind of Lovin' | The Whispers | Saxophone |
| 1980 | Aretha | Aretha Franklin | Horn Arrangements |
| 1980 | Night Song | Ahmad Jamal | Sax |
| 197? | On Our Way | Teegarden & VanWinkle | Horn |
| 1979 | Bustin' Out of L Seven | Rick James | Saxophone |
| 1979 | Happy Holidays to You | The Whispers | Sax |
| 1979 | Til Tomorrow Comes | Raul de Souza | Saxophone |
| 1979 | Wild and Peaceful | Teena Marie | Saxophone |
| 1978 | Acting Up | Marlena Shaw | Contractor, Copyist |
| 1978 | Here, My Dear | Marvin Gaye | Sax |
| 1978 | We Meet Again | Martha Reeves | Flute |
| 1977 | Bundle of Joy | Freddie Hubbard | Sax |
| 1976 | Albert | Albert King | Flute, Saxophone |
| 1976 | Yesterday's Dreams | Alphonso Johnson | Flute, Saxophone, Sax |
| 1973 | Let's Get It On | Marvin Gaye | Copyist |
| Dependable | Charles Drain | Flute, Sax | |
| Joue Pas de Rock'n'roll Pour Moi | Johnny Hallyday | Sax | |
| Quelque chose de Tennessee | Johnny Hallyday | Sax |