Earth, Wind & Fire - Illumination Biography

Following a move to Los Angeles, Maurice called upon his younger brother, Verdine White - a 19 year-old classically trained bassist - to join him. Their initial name was The Salty Peppers. Maurice rechristened the 10-piece outfit Earth, Wind & Fire, inspired by "the elements" of his Sagittarian astrological chart. Their self-titled 1971 debut album Earth, Wind & Fire, followed by 1972's The Need of Love (both released on Warner Bros. Records), as well as the score for Melvin Van Peebles' pioneering black film, Sweet Sweetback's Badasssss Song (on Stax) were steeped in bedrock jazz, rhythm and blues that netted the up-and-coming band a loyal but primarily black underground following. With this foundation laid, Maurice exacted a bit of urban renewal on the group, switching out all of the Chicago-based members and pooling resources from Los Angeles, California and Denver, Colorado. Among the stellar cast of new additions was a super versatile drummer-percussionist-vocalist from L.A. named Ralph Johnson, and a percussionist from Denver with an amazing four-octave vocal range named Philip Bailey. Maurice's charismatic baritone voice and Philip's stratospheric falsetto set EWF's vocal identity "in the stone."
page << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 >>