Entertainment –
Earth Wind and Fire
Founder Remembered
Maurice White, the founder and former lead singer of the mega R&B group Earth Wind and Fire has passed away.
Entertainment
According to his brother and band mate, Verdine White, Maurice passed away on Thursday at his home in Los Angeles after a lengthy illness.
“My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep,” Verdine White said in a Facebook post. “While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.”
“Being joyful and positive was the whole objective of our group. Our goal was to reach all the people and to keep a universal atmosphere — to create positive energy. All of our songs had that positive energy. To create uplifting music was the objective.”
– Maurice White
Founded in 1969, Earth Wind and Fire owned the ’70s and ’80s as arguably one of the best and most successful acts in America. Known for it’s driving horns, intricate vocals and lush melodies, their recordings were a must have and their live stage shows were a must see. This was all due to the vision of White, who co-wrote such hits as “Shining Star,” “Sing a Song” and the smash hit “September.”
“I always envisioned a band which was self-contained, which could play many styles of music, and which could still create its own sound,” White was quoted as saying in 2007. “It was also great to feature a big horn section in the band.”
Maurice White frequently shared vocals on most Earth Wind and Fire songs with longtime member Philip Bailey, whose wide vocal range and out-of-this-world falsetto was a signature of the group.
In the words of Allmusic.com: “The band could harmonize like a smooth Motown group, work a simmering groove like the J.B.’s, or improvise like a jazz fusion outfit.”
After a diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in the late 1980s, White left the group in 1994. However, he retained executive control of the band and was still very active in the music business. He continued to record with and produce for Earth Wind and Fire, as well as such artists as Deniece Williams, The Emotions, Ramsey Lewis, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow, Jennifer Holliday, and a host of others.
He reunited with the band for a special performance at the 2004 Grammy Awards Tribute to Funk, as well as at Clive Davis’ 2004 pre-Grammy awards party, where they performed the band’s 1978 hit “September.”
White was born in 1941 in Memphis and moved to Chicago as a teenager. As a session drummer for Chess Records, he played on records by such notables as Etta James and Fontella Bass before starting EWF. He was a living musical legend and will be deeply missed.
Maurice White was 74.
.
Well this one really hit me hard when I first heard the news………… DJ: "Earth Wind and Fire owned the ’70s and ’80s as arguably one of the best and most successful acts in America." Hear! Hear! Growing up during that period I can tell you first hand – the music written (mostly) by Maurice White, performed by EW&F, was pure Genius…and remains so to this day. As all great music is Timeless. I grew up when incredible music…written, produced, and performed by incredible artists (Black and White)…was plentiful…!!! No matter the genre, great music could be heard darn near everywhere….even on the radio in a small PA city like mine. That said. Geniuses like Maurice White IMO are in a league all their own. I was introduced to Maurice White and EW&F, in my youth, by my uncle who was in his early 20s circa 73-74. A friend had… Read more »