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Woody Phillips, Founder Of Woody's Bar-B-Que, Dies At 78

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Woody Phillips, the founder of Woody's Bar-B-Que, known as the patriarch of the so-called "First Family of Barbecue," has died.

Phillips opened three of the popular Los Angeles restaurants over 45 years.

According to his family, he had been sick for some time.

He was from Louisiana and moved to L.A. in the 1960s.

In 1975, he opened up his first restaurant in South L.A., which became the flagship location.

Phillips died four days after his 78th birthday.

"He served so many people, and he did so many different things other than serve barbecue in the community, and we're just trying to carry on his legacy," Roderick Phillips, Phillips' son, said.

Roderick has been working at the family business since 1991 and will be taking over.

Phillips is survived by his wife and four children.

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