UB Soul Friday: Celebrating The Innovative Earth, Wind & Fire

This weeks “UB Soul Friday” celebrates one of the most innovative bands of all time, Earth, Wind & Fire.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of two of their album releases “That’s the Way of the World” and the live album “Gratitude.” This Sunday, The Recording Academy are celebrating the band with “A Grammy Salute to Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September.”

“UB Soul Friday,” spotlighting artists, albums, singles and videos that left a mark in R&B and Soul music!

Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, pop, rock, Latin and African.

They are one of the most successful bands of the 21st century.

Rolling Stone Magazine described them as “innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing” and declared that the band “changed the sound of black pop.”

The band has received 22 Grammy nominations; winning six as a group and two of its members, Maurice White and Philip Bailey, won separate individual awards.

Earth, Wind & Fire have 12 American Music Awards nominations and four awards.

They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and sold over 100 million records, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time.

Five members of Earth, Wind & Fire were also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame: Maurice White, Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Larry Dunn and Al McKay.

Earth, Wind & Fire is known for the dynamic sound of their horn section, their energetic and elaborate stage shows, and the interplay between the contrasting vocals of Philip Bailey‘s falsetto and Maurice White‘s tenor.

The band is also known as having been the first Black act to sell out Madison Square Garden and to receive the MSG Gold Ticket Award.

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.

When Maurice White formed Earth, Wind & Fire in the early ’70s, part of his inspiration came from the lessons he had learned working with Ramsey Lewis. “I wanted to form something right in the footsteps of where he was coming from . .. something that was musical, yet still entertaining, and, something where the subject matter touched your heart.”

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 explained. “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 19th, 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 6, 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 explained. “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.

White originally decided on a fairly large group to avoid the problems smaller bands were having when they had to supplement their stage shows with local musicians. He felt working with someone who had just learned the music, produces a kind of cold feeling.

Earth, Wind & Fire recorded two albums for Warner Brothers: the self-titled 1970 album “Earth, Wind And Fire” and the 1971 album “The Need Of Love.”

A single from this album, “I Think About Lovin’ You,” provided EWF with their first Top 40 R&B hit. Also in 1971, the group performed the soundtrack to the Melvin Van Peebles film ‘Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song.’

In 1972, White dissolved the line-up (except he and brother Verdine White) and added Jessica Cleaves (vocals – formerly of the R&B group The Friends of Distinction), Ronnie Laws (flute, saxophone), Roland Bautista (guitar), Larry Dunn (keyboard), Ralph Johnson (percussion) and Philip Bailey (vocals, formerly of Friends & Love).

Maurice became disillusioned with Warner Bros., which had signed the group primarily as a jazz act. Maurice, in contrast, was more interested in combining elements of jazz, rock, and soul into an evolving form of fusion, a truly universal sound.

A performance at New York’s Rockefeller Center introduced EWF to Clive Davis, then President of Columbia Records. Davis loved what he saw and bought their contract from Warner Bros.

With Columbia Records, debuting with the 1972 album “Last Days And Time,” the group slowly began to build a reputation for innovative recordings and exciting, live shows, complete with feats of magic (floating pianos, spinning drum kits, vanishing artists) engineered by Doug Henning and his then-unknown assistant David Copperfield.

Their first gold album, “Head To The Sky,” peaked at #27 pop in the summer of 1973, yielding a smooth tangy cover of “Evil” and the title track single.

The first platinum EWF album, “Open Our Eyes,” whose title track was a remake of the classic originally recorded by Savoy Records group the Gospel Clefs, included “Mighty Mighty” (#4 R&B) and “Kalimba Story” (#6 R&B).

Maurice once again shared a label roster with Ramsey Lewis, whose Columbia debut Sun Goddess, was issued in December 1974.

The radio-aired title track was released as a single under the name Ramsey Lewis and Earth, Wind & Fire.

It went to #20 R&B in early 1975.

The Sun Goddess album went gold, hitting #12 pop in early 1975. Maurice had also played on Lewis’ other high-charting album, “Wade In The Water;” the title track single peaked at #3 R&B in the summer of 1966.

The inspiration for “Shining Star” (one of EW&F’s most beloved singles) was gleaned from thoughts Maurice had during a walk under the star-filled skies that surrounded the mountains around Caribou Ranch, CO a popular recording site and retreat during the ’70s.

The track was originally included in the “That’s The Way Of The World” movie that starred Harvey Keitel and was produced by Sig Shore (Superfly).

“Shining Star” glittered at #1 R&B for two weeks and hit #1 pop in early 1975.

It was included on their 1975 multi-platinum album “That’s The Way Of The World” that held the #1 pop spot for three weeks in Spring 1975 and earned them their first Grammy Award.

The title track single made it to #5 R&B in summer of 1975. It also yielded the classic ballad “Reasons,” an extremely popular radio-aired album track.

The album is actually the soundtrack from the movie of the same name, but White chose to play down the soundtrack angle.

The movie deals with the music industry and the band plays a group called The Group. “We wanted the LP treated as a new Earth, Wind & Fire album, because people sometimes see the word soundtrack and think the LP will be different from the artist’s usual material.”

The multi-platinum album “Gratitude” held the #1 pop album spot for three weeks in late 1975.

On the album was “Singasong” (gold, #1 R&B for two weeks, #5 pop), the Skip Scarborough ballad “Can’t Hide Love” (#11 R&B), and the popular radio-aired album tracks “Celebrate,” “Gratitude,” and the live version of “Reasons.”

“If a person listens to an album and hears six straight songs in the same bag, he’s going to get bored by the third song. I like to try to satisfy people by giving everybody at least one song directly in their idiom.” Maurice White stated.

In 1976, Maurice decided he wanted to record a spiritual album.

The multi-platinum album “Spirit” parked at #2 pop for two weeks in fall of 1976 and boasted the gold, #1 R&B single “Getaway” and “Saturday Nite.”

“Spirit” is remembered as one of EWF’s best albums and sadly for also being the last project of producer Charles Stepney.

He died May 17th, 1976, in Chicago, IL, at the age of 45. Charles was a former Chess Records arranger/producer/session musician/multi-instrumentalist/songwriter and Maurice’s main collaborator on his EWF projects.

The album art is three pyramids. Reminiscent of the three pyramids at Giza, Egypt.

Maurice White stated that the pyramids symbolized sending Charles Stepney on his way. White explained, “I wanted Earth, Wind & Fire to use the symbols of Egypt in our presentation, to remind black folks of our rich and glorious heritage. And not just African Americans: today we have scientific proof that all of mankind has African origins.” He added, “We are all brothers. Everybody is connected. On some basic, primal level we all are a reflection of the universe, and in that reflection we are connected to one divine source, God.”

The multi-platinum album “All ‘N All” peaked at #3 pop in late 1977, won three Grammy’s, and had arrangements by Chicago soul mainstay Tom Tom Washington and Eumir Deodato.

The singles were “Serpentine Fire” (#1 R&B for seven weeks) and “Fantasy.”

The group’s horn section, the legendary Phenix Horns (Don Myrick on saxophone, Louis Satterfield on trombone, Rahmlee Michael Davis and Michael Harris on trumpets) became an integral part of the Earth, Wind & Fire sound.

During this time, Maurice produced several artists such as The Emotions (1976’s Flowers and 1977’s Rejoice which included the #1 R&B/pop hit “Best Of My Love”) and Deniece Williams (1976’s This Is Niecy which included the Top Ten R&B hit “Free”).

In the late 70s, in association with Columbia Records, Maurice also launched a record label, ARC.

The multi-platinum greatest-hits set “The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. I” included a cover of the Beatles’ “Got To Get You Into My Life” went to #1 R&B and #9 pop in summer 1978.

The group performed the song in the 1978 Bee Gees/Peter Frampton movie “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”

The greatest hits also features the bands classic, “September.”

The single made it to #1 R&B, and #8 pop in early 1978.

On the flip side was the enchanting popular radio-aired album track “Love’s Holiday” from “All ‘N All.”

Their live performances were stellar as well. Sellout crowds were spellbound by the band’s bombastic performances. Their performances blasted a cosmic wave of peace, love and other happy vibrations to audiences using a combination of eye-popping costumes, lights, pyrotechnics and plain old good music.

Sometimes they even threw in magic illusions. Earth, Wind & Fire’s message was one of universal harmony, in both musical and cultural senses. “We live in a negative society,” Maurice told Newsweek. “Most people can’t see beauty and love. I see our music as medicine.”

The multi-platinum album “I Am” hit #3 pop in summer 1979 on the strength of the million-selling single “Boogie Wonderland” with The Emotions (#2 R&B for four weeks, #6 pop) and the phenomenal gold ballad “After The Love Has Gone,” written by David Foster, Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin that stayed at #2 R&B/pop for two weeks.

Their “Faces” album peaked at #10 pop in late 1980 and was boosted to gold by the singles “Let Me Talk” (#8 R&B), “You” (#10 R&B), and “And Love Goes On.”

The million-selling funked-up “Let’s Groove,” co-written by The Emotions’ Wanda Vaughn and her husband Wayne Vaughn, was the track that re-energized EWF’s career, parking at #1 R&B for eight weeks and #3 pop, causing their “Raise!” album to go platinum (hitting #5 pop in late 1981).

Their next gold album “Powerlight” made it to #12 pop in spring 1983 and included the Top 10 R&B single and Grammy-nominated “Fall In Love With Me.”

Their 1983 “Electric Universe” album stalled at #40 pop, breaking the band’s string of gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums.

“What happens is that you get fed up with the same thing, especially when everyone else is doing what you do,” stated an annoyed White. “I turn on the radio and hear our sound: Phil Collins using our horns, etc. So I just decided I’d space on them a while and go someplace else.” “We were using African and Latin concepts in our music for years,” he said. “Now everyone is doing it. We did it for 10 years. Then people would ask, ‘When you gonna change?’ You change and they want to know, ‘When you going back?’”

This album also continued White‘s ongoing relationship with producer/writer David Foster. Since writing “After The Love Is Gone” for Earth, Wind & Fire‘s “I Am” album, Foster hd written songs with White on all the group’s subsequent releases as well as the White – produced Jennifer Holliday album “Feel My Love.” “Our writing relationship is a true collaboration,” stated White. “We’ll sit in a room with a piano and drums. He’ll play melodies. I’ll create rhythms and lyrics as we play. It’s a very comfortable arrangement.”

In 1983, Maurice decided he and the band needed a break.

During this hiatus, Maurice recorded his self-titled solo album Maurice White and produced various artists including Neal Diamond, Barbra Streisand and Jennifer Holliday.

Reuniting with the band in 1987, EWF released the album “Touch The World” and scored yet another #1 R&B single, “System of Survival” and embarked on a corresponding nine-month world tour.

This was followed by the 1988 release “The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. II.”

In 1990 the group released the album “Heritage.”

In a departure from previous work, EW&F included some noteworthy special guests on the project. Noted White, “In addition to The Boys’ contribution to “Heritage,” we have Sly Stone singing and playing on the track “Good Time” because he really represents an era that we all benefited from; and M.C. Hammer is featured on “Wanna Be The Man” and “For The Love Of You.” Hammer is really the voice of today and one of the reasons we picked him is because of the positive contribution he’s making through his music to today’s kids.”

“Heritage” focused, in typical EW&F fashion, on presenting a positive and uplifting message, and the album consists “primarily of love songs.”

Two years later, Earth, Wind & Fire released “The Eternal Dance;” a 55-track boxed set retrospective of the band’s entire history.

The appearance of such a project after a prolonged period of relative inactivity signaled to many listeners that the band was calling it quits but that did not turn out to be case.

In 1993, EWF released the album, “Millennium” that included the Grammy-nominated “Sunday Morning” and “Spend The Night.” The band was back recording on Warner Bros. Records, via Reprise.

White stated Columbia‘s actions on the group’s behalf often felt like unwanted intervention, he said Warner Bros. had been more supportive. “Warner Bros. has assisted me in doing this, whereas at CBS they were demanding I do certain things. They were trying to make the group into a total pop act; that would never happen, because we’re musicians, not just guys who can play out of Book One.”

“We found some songs for Maurice,” stated Benny Medina. “We’ve been here mainly as a sounding board, to say, `you’re on track.’ That’s important to him. He’s obviously concerned about the marketplace and his sound.”

Among the tunes Warner Bros. presented to White was “Superhero,” a song penned by the late great Prince. “I was impressed and flattered that he’d written a song for us,” White says. “I knew I’d have to take it and make it ours.”

Earth, Wind & Fire kept recording and in 1996 released Avatar and Greatest Hits Live; followed by 1997’s “In The Name Of Love“; 2002’s “That’s The Way Of The World“: “Alive In ’75“; “Live In Rio” which was recorded during their 1979 “I Am World Tour;” 2003’s “The Promise,” which included the Grammy-nominated “Hold Me” and 2005’s “Illumination,” which included the Grammy-nominated “Show Me The Way.”

The year 2000, brought their induction into The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

In 2001, Eagle Rock Entertainment released the documentary “Earth, Wind & Fire: Shining Stars,” which contains rarely seen historic video footage along with in-depth interviews with the band members.

In 2007, leader Philip Bailey founded Music Is Unity, which helps youth in foster care successfully transition into adulthood and provides music instruments to youth with musical aspirations but lacking the resources.

Co-founder, Verdine White has led important initiatives with the Girls & Boys Club of America and opened The Verdine White Foundation in Los Angeles as a mecca to serve youth with music scholarships and other programs.

In 2016, Maurice passed away and his memoir, “My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire” was released posthumously.

In 2014, Philip Bailey released a memoir “Shining Star: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire.”

The band performed a Las Vegas Residency in 2018.

In 2021, EWF reached the Billboard Top 10 on the Adult R&B Airplay chart for the first time in 28 years with “You Want My Love“, featuring Lucky Daye.

In 2023 former drummer Fred White died at the age of 67.

“A Grammy Salute to Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September” will air this Sunday, September 21st at 8:00 ET/PT on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

The music of Earth, Wind & Fire is more alive than ever as they continue to inspire new audiences and thrill those who have been with them from the beginning.

Like the elements in their name, Earth, Wind & Fire’s music has withstood ever-changing trends in the world and shows no sign of vanishing as they continue to create joy and uplifting music that will forever reach a sacred universal atmosphere.

With timeless songs and commitment to spreading positivity, Earth, Wind & Fire has consistently made music that has bridged the gap among all generations and nationalities.

With a sound that blends funk, jazz, pop, soul, and R&B, Earth, Wind & Fire launched a musical genre that can’t be confined to a specific label except their own!

Earth, Wind & Fire:
Maurice White: Vocals, Drums, Kalimba, Timbales
Verdine White: Vocals, Bass, Percussion
Philip Bailey: Vocals, Congas, Percussion
Larry Dunn: Piano, Organ, Synthesizer, Synthesizer Programming
Ralph Johnson: Drums, Percussion
Al McKay: Vocals, Guitars, Percussion
Johnny Graham: Guitars, Percussion
Andrew Woolfolk: Flute, Soprano and Tenor Saxophones, Percussion
Fred White: Drums, Percussion
Roland Bautista: Guitars

Take A Trip Down Memory Lane with Earth, Wind & Fire!

UB Preview: ‘Earth, Wind & Fire Live: The 21st Night of September’