Artist Thumbnail
Earth, Wind & Fire
EARTH, WIND & FIRE BIOGRAPHY During the 1970s, a new brand of pop music was born - one that was steeped in African and African-American styles - particularly jazz and R&B but appealed to a broader cross-section of the listening public. As founder and leader of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, Maurice White not only embraced but also helped bring about this evolution of pop, which bridged the gap that has often separated the musical tastes of black and white America. It certainly was successful, as EWF combined high-caliber musicianship, wide-ranging musical genre eclecticism, and '70s multicultural spiritualism. "I wanted to do something that hadn't been done before," Maurice explains. "Although we were basically jazz musicians, we played soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, rock and dance music...which somehow ended up becoming pop. We were coming out of a decade of experimentation, mind expansion and cosmic awareness. I wanted our music to convey messages of universal love and harmony without force-feeding listeners' spiritual content." Maurice was born December 19, 1941, in Memphis, TN. He was immersed in a rich musical culture that spanned the boundaries between jazz, gospel, R&B, blues and early rock. All of these styles played a role in the development of Maurice's musical identity. At age six, he began singing in his church's gospel choir but soon his interest turned to percussion. He began working gigs as a drummer while still in high school. His first professional performance was with Booker T. Jones, who eventually achieved stardom as Booker T and the MGs. After graduating high school, Maurice moved to the Windy City to continue his musical education at the prestigious Chicago Conservatory Of Music. He continued picking up drumming jobs on the side, which eventually lead to a steady spot as a studio percussionist with the legendary Chicago label, Chess Records. At Chess, Maurice had the privilege of playing with such greats as Etta James, Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart, Willie Dixon, Sonny Stitt and Ramsey Lewis, whose trio he joined in 1967. He spent nearly three years as part of the Ramsey Lewis Trio. "Ramsey helped shape my musical vision beyond just the music," Maurice explains. "I learned about performance and staging." Maurice also learned about the African thumb piano, or Kalimba, an instrument whose sound would become central to much of his work over the years. In 1969, Maurice left the Ramsey Lewis Trio and joined two friends in Chicago, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, as a songwriting team composing songs and commercials in the Chicago area. The three friends got a recording contract with Capitol and called themselves the "Salty Peppers," and had a marginal hit in the Mid-western area called "La La Time." That band featured Maurice on vocals, percussion and Kalimba along with keyboardists/vocalists Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead. After relocating to Los Angeles and signing a new contract with Warner Bros., Maurice simultaneously made what may have been the smartest move of his young career. He changed the band's name to Earth, Wind & Fire (after the three elements in his astrological chart). The new name also captured Maurice's spiritual approach to music - one that transcended categories and appealed to multiple artistic principals, including composition, musicianship, production, and performance. In addition to White, Flemons and Whitehead, Maurice recruited Michael Beal on guitar, Leslie Drayton, Chester Washington and Alex Thomas on horns, Sherry Scott on vocals, percussionist Phillard Williams and his younger brother Verdine on bass.

Songs

See All
1
thumbnail
December (Based on "September")
Earth, Wind & Fire
2
thumbnail
Let's Groove
Earth, Wind & Fire
3
thumbnail
Boogie Wonderland (feat. Earth, Wind & Fire)
Earth, Wind & Fire
4
thumbnail
Fantasy
Earth, Wind & Fire
5
thumbnail
That's the Way of the World
Earth, Wind & Fire

Albums

See All
thumbnail

Holiday

2014
thumbnail

Heritage

1990
thumbnail

Raise!

1981
thumbnail

The Promise

2014
thumbnail

Touch The World

1987
thumbnail

Faces

1980
thumbnail

Illumination

2005
thumbnail

Electric Universe (Expanded Edition)

1983
thumbnail

Millennium

1993
thumbnail

Powerlight

1983

Singles & EPs

thumbnail

You Want My Love (feat. Lucky Daye)

Single • 2021
thumbnail

September

Single • 1978
thumbnail

Get Your Hump on This Christmas (From "The Cleveland Show") (feat. Cleveland Brown)

Single • 2009
thumbnail

September (The Eric Kupper Remixes)

EP • 2020
thumbnail

Dance Dance Dance

Single • 1983
thumbnail

September (sped up + slowed)

Single • 1978

Videos

See All

Live performances

See All

Featured on

thumbnail

Presenting Earth, Wind & Fire

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Family Living Room

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Fun & Funky

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

'70s Sunshine Grooves

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

'70s Party

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

'80s R&B + Soul

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Old-School Funk

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Ultimate Happy Songs

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Songs to Raise Your Kids To

Playlist • YouTube Music
thumbnail

Grown Folks BBQ

Playlist • YouTube Music

Playlists by Earth, Wind & Fire

thumbnail

VERZUZ: Earth, Wind & Fire vs. The Isley Brothers

Playlist • Earth Wind & Fire • 101K views

Fans might also like

thumbnail

Al Jarreau

712K monthly audience
thumbnail

Shalamar

46.3K subscribers
thumbnail

The Brothers Johnson

53.6K subscribers
thumbnail

The Emotions

78.6K subscribers
thumbnail

Ray Parker, Jr.

166K subscribers
thumbnail

Kool & The Gang

28.7M monthly audience
thumbnail

George Benson

17.6M monthly audience
thumbnail

The Spinners

2.28M monthly audience
thumbnail

Chaka Khan

8.88M monthly audience
thumbnail

Tavares

30.9K subscribers