VISIONS OF MAURICE WHITE
Keep On Singing ‘til the Twelfth of Never
Earth Wind & Fire’s music for unity and peace

I didn’t wake up to the brilliant music of Earth, Wind, and Fire, EW&F, until I was older. As a kid, I confused EW&F with the Electric Light Orchestra, ELO. One of my older sisters loved the English rock band.
I no longer confuse the two bands.
It’s impossible to compare ELO with EW&F’s combination of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, Afro Pop, classical, disco, and Latin music.
I’ve continued to listen to EW&F as an adult. Most recently, I’ve been leaning into EW&F during cancer-related MRI scans. If it’s possible for recorded music to be healing, EW&F has that power for me.
I’m ashamed to admit how little I’ve known about the band’s history, legacy, and struggles.
As I read more about EW&F, I realize how energetic, entertaining, and magical the group has always been. I mean that literally. They used to have stage shows with magic created by Doug Henning with smoke, lights, and sparkles decorating the stage. The band members wore glamorous costumes, and featured choreographed moves.
I’m amazed how EW&F adapted, over the years, to the deaths and other losses of essential band members. Regardless of changes, the band has continued writing songs, producing albums, and performing live shows.
EW& F will launch a cross-country tour in 2024, traveling around the Midwest and the East Coast, and finishing their tour along the West Coast. EW&F is scheduled to appear at Lumen Stadium in Seattle in September.
I’d love to see the band live, but I’m not a fan of massive crowds at football stadiums.
Because I’ll skip that concert, I’m updating my knowledge of EW&F starting with the originator of the band, Maurice White, who started his career as a session drummer for Chess Records in Chicago. He had accompanied Muddy Waters, Etta James, and Ramsey Lewis among other musicians.
White first named the band, The Salty Peppers in 1968. Two years later he moved to LA and changed the band’s name to Earth, Wind & Fire, based on the three major elements of his Astrological sign in Sagittarius.
The more I’ve been reading about EW&F, the stronger impression I get, White built in a kind of mystical-spiritual aspect to the band. There was a strong emphasis on unity and peace, likely inspired by Afro-gospel, jazz, blues, and rock.
White was the primary singer in the band. He dressed in shimmering 70s-style jumpsuits and capes.
White’s voice had a versatile range. He was a dynamic front man who could easily energize and heat up a crowd until everyone was clapping and dancing.
In 1972 White recruited Philip Bailey to EW&F from Colorado. Bailey had a distinctive four-octave vocal range including an amazing falsetto. Bailey was influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughn, and Dionne Warwick.
Bailey and White’s vocals blended well in such songs as Fantasy. It’s a song that brings to mind the spiritual aspects of EW&F. Bailey’s voice is particularly stunning in the song.
Bailey also went on to perform solo work, winning 7 Grammy awards over several years, including a shared duo with Phil Collins in the song Easy Lover.
The biggest tragedy for EWF was when White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He kept the disease at bay with medications from 1992 until 2000 when he stopped working. White died in 2016 from Parkinson’s complications at age 74.

White’s legend lives on. Over the last forty years, EW&F has recorded 20 albums and sold 90 million copies. The band also won six Grammy Awards out of 17 nominations and was the first African American group to receive a Kennedy Center honor in 2019.
What’s more, EW&F won four American Music Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and has received a 2002 BET Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition, EW&F was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and given the ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Heritage Award.
The band has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
I spent most of today watching and listening to EW&F songs I’d never encountered. I was, trying to get a sense of the band’s evolution. I was also following the advice from a BBC YouTube interview with Philip Bailey. The singer expressed a wish that more people were aware of the full scope of EW&F’s music.
White was the primary singer in the band. He dressed, like other band members, in shimmering 70s-style jumpsuits and capes.
White’s voice had a versatile range. He was a dynamic frontman who could easily energize and heat up a crowd until everyone was clapping and dancing.
In 1972 White recruited Philip Bailey to EW&F. Bailey had a distinctive four-octave vocal range including an amazing falsetto. Bailey had been influenced by the music of Stevie Wonder, Sarah Vaughn, and Dionne Warwick.
Bailey and White’s vocals blended well in such songs as Fantasy. It’s a song which brings to mind the spiritual aspects of EW&F. Bailey’s voice is particularly stunning in the song.
Bailey also went on to perform solo work, winning 7 Grammy awards over several years, including a shared duo with Phil Collins in the song Easy Lover.
The biggest tragedy for EWF was when White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He kept the disease at bay with medications from 1992 until 2000 when he stopped working. White died in 2016 from Parkinson’s complications at age 74.
White’s legend lives on. Over the last forty years, EW&F has recorded 20 albums and sold 90 million copies. The band also won six Grammy Awards out of 17 nominations and was the first African American group to receive a Kennedy Center honor in 2019.
What’s more, EW&F won four American Music Awards, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and has received a 2002 BET Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition, EW&F was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and given the ASCAP Rhythm and Soul Heritage Award.