Reggie Lucas, Who Collaborated With Madonna And Miles Davis, Dies

via Lisa Lucas – Reggie Lucas

Reggie Lucas, the famed Grammy winning guitarist who played in Miles Davis’ band and collaborated with Madonna on her debut record, died May 19. He was 65.

Lucas’ sister confirmed to Rolling Stone that the musician died of complications from heart disease.

“Reggie Lucas, my adored and beloved father, passed away early this morning at the age of 65. He made beautiful music, a beautiful family, a beautiful life and I will miss him every single day that I live on this earth,” Lisa Lucas tweeted.

Lucas joined Miles Davis’ band in 1972 when he was just 18 years old. During his five years with the group, Lucas played in live recordings that would form Davis’ Dark Magnus, Pangea and Agharta jazz funk trilogy, in addition to the 1972 album On The Corner. He also on appeared some of 1974’s Get Up On It tracks, including “Rated X,” “Mtume” and “He Loved Him Madly.”

In 1982 Lucas collaborated with Madonna on her debut album and wrote six of the LP’s eight songs, including “Lucky Star,” “Burning Up” and her massive hit “Borderline.”

Additionally, Lucas worked with James Mtume, also a former member of Miles Davis’ band, to cowrite Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway’s “The Closer I Get To You” and Stephanie Mills’ “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” which won the 1981 Grammy award for best R&B song and best female R&B performance.

Lucas is survived by his wife Leslie Lucas, daughter Lisa Lucas, son Julian Lucas, and his mother, Annie Wolinsky.