STEPHENS, 89, BASS PLAYER IN BIG BAND ERA.

Byline: Barbara Wood Daily News Staff Writer

Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday for Phil ``The Chief'' Stephens, 89, a Big Band era bass player at The Valley Funeral Home, 2121 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank.

Stephens died Wednesday after suffering a heart attack at his home in North Hollywood.

The bass player worked with such entertainers as Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong.

During his career, he accompanied singer Ella Fitzgerald in the song ``A Tisket, A Tasket'' and Hoagy Carmichael in ``Stardust.''

``He had the greatest life,'' said his daughter, Barbara Gifford of Woodland Hills. ``He lived life the way he wanted. He was an excellent cook, golfer and drawer. Everything he did, he did very well.''

Stephens, a native of Atlanta, was a self-taught musician.

He began his musical career as a tuba player at age 18 with the Charley Fulchers Band in 1925.

In 1931 he joined Benny Mareoff and played tuba and bass. It was with this band that Tommy Dorsey found Stephens and gave him his big break.

Dorsey also gave Stephens his nickname ``The Chief,'' for his facial profile and for performing music to the song ``Cherokee.''

While on tour with the Dorsey band, Stephens roomed with Sinatra.

After traveling on the road with numerous bands, Stephens came to California in 1942 to become a studio musician.

Nick Fatool, 81, a longtime friend and former drummer with the Benny Goodman Band, met Stephens after he had left Goodman's orchestra and Stephens had left the Tommy Dorsey Band.

``He was in demand at the time. He was a great player,'' Fatool said. ``We used to go to the race track and then go record a record to make up the money we lost.''

Stephens' wife, Erma, died in 1984.

He is survived by his daughter; and by two brothers, Perry and Nick Stephens, and two sisters, Bessie Stephens and Louise Contance, all of Atlanta.