Gary Bias is an American saxophonist, flutist and composer. Bias is a longtime member of the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns. [1] [2] [3]
He born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Bias began playing the saxophone at the age of 11. He went on to attend Locke High School with Gerald Albright and Patrice Rushen.
During 1981 Bias released his debut album entitled East 101 upon Nimbus Records. He went on to play the sax upon reggae band Third World's 1983 album All the Way Strong. Bias then served as a composer on Najee's 1986 LP Najee's Theme and Mongo Santamaria's 1987 album So Yo. [4] [3]
During 1987 Bias also won a Grammy Award within the category of Best Rhythm & Blues Song for co-composing Anita Baker's "Sweet Love". [5] [6] Within the same year he went on to join up with Earth, Wind & Fire. Bias then played and composed upon the band's 1990 album Heritage. As well he featured as a saxophonist on Whitney Houston's album of the same year being I'm Your Baby Tonight. [4] [2]
Bias then played upon MC Hammer's 1991 album Too Legit to Quit and Salif Keita's 1991 LP Amen. In 1999 Bias released his sophomore LP entitled "2 B Free" upon Thunderbop Records. [4]
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Earth, Wind & Fire is an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
Jerome Najee Rasheed, known professionally as Najee, is an American jazz-Smooth jazz saxophonist and flautist.
The Emotions are an American soul/R&B vocal group from Chicago. The group started out in gospel music but transitioned into R&B and disco music. The Emotions were named by VH1 as one of the 18 most influential girl groups of all time.
Maurice White was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.
Philip James Bailey is an American singer, songwriter and percussionist, best known as an early member and one of the two lead singers of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Noted for his four-octave vocal range and distinctive falsetto register, Bailey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for his work with the band.
Sonny Emory is an American singer, songwriter, drummer and percussionist. Emory is a former member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire. He has also worked with artists such as Bruce Hornsby, Steely Dan, Eric Clapton, Jeff Lorber and the B-52's.
Ronald Wayne Laws is an American jazz and smooth jazz saxophonist, and singer. He is the younger brother of jazz flutist Hubert Laws, jazz vocalist Eloise Laws and the older brother of Debra Laws.
Roland Bautista was an American guitarist. He was best known for his work with Earth, Wind & Fire. He also worked with such artists as Ronnie Laws, The Crusaders, George Duke and Randy Crawford.
Larry Dunn is an American keyboardist, producer and musical director. He was one of the early members of the music group Earth, Wind & Fire. Dunn was later inducted, as a former band member, into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Colorado Music Hall of Fame. Within which he's also been bestowed with ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, 7 Grammy Awards, 4 American Music Awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Dunn is a co-composer of EWF's "Shining Star", a song that's been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
Albert Phillip "Al" McKay is an American guitarist, songwriter, and record producer. He is a former member of The Watts 103rd Rhythm Street Band and Earth, Wind & Fire, for which he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. McKay now leads his own group called the Al McKay All Stars.
Gerald Albright is an American jazz saxophonist. He earned Grammys for 24/7 in 2012 and Slam Dunk in 2014 and has been nominated for New Beginnings in 2008 and for Sax for Stax in 2009.
Terri Lyne Carrington is an American jazz drummer, composer, producer, and educator. She has played with Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Clark Terry, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Joe Sample, Al Jarreau, Yellowjackets, and many others. She toured with each of Hancock's musical configurations between 1997 and 2007.
Andrew Paul Woolfolk II was an American saxophonist. Woolfolk was a longtime member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire from 1973 to 1985, and from 1987 to 1993. He also collaborated with artists such as Deniece Williams, Stanley Turrentine, Phil Collins, Twennynine, Philip Bailey, and Level 42.
The Urban Knights are an American all-star jazz fusion band. They released their self-titled debut in 1995. They have a total of 8 studio albums.
The Promise is the eighteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire released in May 2003 on Kalimba Music. The album peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 5 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart.
Ralph Randolph Johnson is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer. Johnson is a member and percussionist of the funk/soul/disco band Earth, Wind & Fire.
Raymond Lee Brown is an American trumpeter and flugelhornist. Brown was a longtime member of the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns.
Morris "Mo" Joseph Pleasure is an American composer, singer, producer and multi-instrumentalist. Pleasure is a former member of the band Earth, Wind & Fire and the current musical director of Bette Midler. Pleasure has also collaborated with artists such as Ray Charles, Najee, George Duke, Marion Meadows, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Peter Cetera and David Foster.
The Earth, Wind & Fire Horns is the main horn section for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. The horn section has also played alongside artists such as Whitney Houston, P Diddy, Queen Latifah and Kelly Clarkson. The horn section should not be confused with the EWF Horns which were the first main horn section from 1975 to 1983, later known as the Phenix Horns.
Wayne Lee Vaughn is an American producer, keyboardist and arranger best known for his work with the band Earth, Wind & Fire. Vaughn has also worked with other preeminent artists such as the Brothers Johnson, Patti LaBelle, Jennifer Holliday, Troop and Terrace Martin.