R.I.P. Maurice White

[SpazApproved]

I was a big Earth Wind and Fire fan growing up and in College when I studied music.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White, whose horn-driven band sold more than 90 million albums and made hits like "September," ''Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland," died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, his brother Verdine said.

White, who was 74, suffered from Parkinson's Disease and had retreated from the public even as the band he founded kept performing.

"My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep," Verdine White, also a member of the band, told The Associated Press on Thursday. "While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes."

Earth, Wind & Fire, a nine-piece band centered featuring the two White brothers, singer Philip Bailey and the distinctive horn section, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. The band's most successful period started with the 1975 album "That's The Way of The World" and continued through the rest of the decade. Other hits included "Serpentine Fire," ''That's the Way of the World" and a cover of the Beatles' "Got to Get You Into My Life."

White publicly revealed he had Parkinson's at the time of the band's Hall of Fame induction, but he had shown symptoms of the neurological disease back in the 1980s. He stopped touring with the band in 1995 because of weariness from the road combined with his health problems.

White said in an interview with The Associated Press in 2000 that he wanted the band's music to inspire instead of just entertain.

"That was the whole objective, to try to inspire young people to believe in themselves and to follow through on their ideas," he said. "We've touched so many people with these songs."

A former session drummer, White founded the band Salty Peppers in the Chicago area in the late 1960s and had some modest success in the Midwest. After relocating to Los Angeles and ditching all of the band members except Verdine, he renamed the outfit Earth, Wind & Fire after the three elements in his astrological chart.

[drummer]

Man, I didn't know he was a drummer. How cool!
Great memories! Great band! R.I.P.

[Goro]

Look in the dictionary: 70s R &B ....Earth Wind &Fire to many hits to name what a great band and he will be missed. Lost a true legend

[Pearl MCX Man]

I agree with all Great band. RIP Maurice you accomplished a lot in the music world and your legacy will live on.

[Ricardo]

Man, I didn't know he was a drummer. How cool!
Great memories! Great band! R.I.P.

White was the drummer for the Ramsey Lewis Trio from 1966 until 1970, when he left to form EW&F.

[Icetech]

This makes me sad.. i play like 5-6 Earth Wind & Fire songs every single night will practicing.. easy and fun to play with a good energy :(

[jedi]

We play a few of their songs in our dance set . We are a power trio and the songs adapt very well to our configuration . Always recognizable even with the young college crowd . Fill the dance floor every time . E.W.&F. were the soundtrack to my youth , made out with the girls many times to "Reasons" playing in the background .

After Maurice left the band E.W.&F. seemed to lose their way . No new songs were recorded and after a while they just became a tribute band . Maurice was missed long before he passed away . Still tho I hoped that he would return and bring them back to their original glory , or at least some new songs ! LOL . But that was not to be .

I'm listening to Ramsey Lewis's album "Another Voyage" as I write . Maurice's drumming is just what the song requires ... nothing more . On some songs he drops in and out , never getting in the way of the piano yet supporting it when needed to . I like his playing . The recording is from May 1969 .

Back in 1985 he did a solo album which I thought was odd since E.W.&F. was his band and he could have done what he wanted with them . But who knows the real reasons , maybe it had something to do with contracts .. lawyers .. money and such . The songs weren't much different than anything else he had written . Just a little different because he used studio musicians and not HIS band . Half the songs had programed drums and the others had John (JR) Robinson on them .

His work here is done . He left a good legacy . May he rest in peace now .
Rudy .

[PopsOldSkins]

Another Great voice now singing with the Angel's.

[FlyByNight]

Just saw this on UCR. Rest in peace.