PROFILE: Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band that has spanned the musical genres of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, disco, Latin and African.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The band was formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969
- The band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards.
- They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
- They have sold over 90 million albums worldwide earning them a place on the list of the best-selling music artists where they are ranked as the seventh best selling American band of all time.
- Rolling Stone Magazine has previously described Earth, Wind & Fire as “innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing” and has also declared that the band “changed the sound of black pop.”
- Earth, Wind & Fire were also ranked at number 60 on VH1’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of Rock & Roll.
- The band received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame on September 14, 1995.
- Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White, Phillip Bailey, Verdine White, Al McKay and Larry Dunn were inducted to the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame on June 17, 2010.
CURRENT MEMBERS:
- Philip Bailey – vocals, conga, percussion, kalimba
- Verdine White – bass, percussion, vocals
- Ralph Johnson – drums, percussion, vocals
- B. David Whitworth – percussion, vocals
- Myron McKinley – keyboards, musical director
- John Paris – drums, vocals
- Philip Bailey, Jr. – vocals, percussion
- Morris O’Connor – lead guitar, vocals
- Serg Dimitrijevic – rhythm guitar, vocals
FORMER BAND MEMBERS:
- Maurice White – vocals, kalimba, drums, percussion, band creator and leader (1970-2016; his death)
- Michael Beale -guitar, harmonica
- Leslie Drayton – trumpet
- Wade Flemons – electric piano, vocals
- Yackov Ben Israel – conga, percussion
- Sherry Scott – vocals
- Alexander Thomas – trombone
- Chester Washington – tenor saxophone
- Don Whitehead – acoustic/electric pianos, vocals
- Helena Davis – vocals
- Roland Bautista – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals
- Jessica Cleaves – keyboards, synthesizers, minimoog, musical director
- Madeline Evans – keyboards, vocals
- Ronnie Laws – flute, soprano/tenor saxaphones
- Johnny Graham – lead/rhythm guitar, trumpet percussion
- Al McKay – lead/rhythm guitar, sitar, percussion, vocals
- Andrew Woolfolk – flute, saxophone, percussion
- Fred White – drums, percussion
- Beloyd Taylor – percussion, vocals
- Sonny Emory – drums, vocals
- Sheldon Reynolds – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals
- Dick Smith – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals
- Vance Taylor – keyboards, musical director
- Fred Ravel – keyboards, musical director
- Morris Pleasure – keyboards, bass, musical director
- David Romero – percussion
- Mike McKnight – technician, keyboards
- Robert Brookins, – keyboards, musical director
- Gordon Campbell – drums
- Bobby Gonzoles – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals
- Daniel de los Reyes – percussion
- Kimberly Brewer – vocals
- John Johnson – lead/rhythm guitar, vocals
- Krystal Bailey – vocals
- Kim Johnson – vocals
- Greg “G-Mo” Moore – rhythm guitar, vocals
- Vadim Ziberstein – lead guitar, vocals
VIDEOS:
DISCOGRAPHY:
- Earth, Wind & Fire (1971)
- The Need of Love (1971)
- Last Days and Time (1972)
- Head to the Sky (1973)
- Open Our Eyes (1974)
- That’s the Way of the World (1975)
- Spirit (1976)
- All ‘n All (1977)
- I Am (1979)
- Faces (1980)
- Raise! (1981)
- Powerlight (1983)
- Electric Universe (1983)
- Touch the World (1987)
- Heritage (1990)
- Millennium (1993)
- In the Name of Love (1997)
- The Promise (2003)
- Illumination (2005)
- Now, Then & Forever (2013)
- Holiday (2014)
TOP 10 ALBUMS
- 1975: That’s the Way of the World (US #1)
- 1975: Gratitude (US #1)
- 1976: Spirit (US #2)
- 1977: All ‘n All (US #3)
- 1979: I Am (US #3; UK #5)
- 1980: Faces (US #10; UK #10)
- 1981: Raise! (US #5)
TOP 10 SINGLES:
- 1975: “Shining Star” (US #1)
- 1975: “Sing a Song” (US #5)
- 1978: “Got to Get You Into My Life” (US #9)
- 1978: “September” (US #8; UK #3)
- 1979: “Boogie Wonderland” (featuring The Emotions) (US #6; UK #4)
- 1979: “After the Love Has Gone” (US #2; UK #4)
- 1981: “Let’s Groove” ( US #3; UK #3)
SOURCES:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Earth,_Wind_%26_Fire_band_members
http://www.earthwindandfire.com/history/biography/
What are your favorite Earth, Wind & Fire songs!? Leave your comments below!
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