Earth, Wind & Fire are an American multi-genre band, founded by Maurice White (vocals, drums, percussion) in 1969, the bands original line-up included Maurice, alongside his brother Verdine White (bass), guitarist Michael Beal, pianists and vocalists Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, percussionist Yackov Ben Israel, vocalist Sherry Scott, trumpeter Leslie Drayton, trombonist Alexander Thomas and saxophonist Chester Washington. [2]
The band, since Maurice's death in 2016, currently consists of Verdine (a constant member), vocalists/percussionists Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson (both since 1972) and B. David Whitworth (since 1996), keyboardist Myron McKinley and drummer John Paris (both since 2001), lead guitarist Morris O'Connor (since 2008), vocalist Philip Doron Bailey (since 2009) and rhythm guitarist Serg Dimitrijevic (since 2012).[ citation needed ]
Maurice White first founded Earth, Wind & Fire in 1969, alongside his friends Wade Flemons (vocals) and Don Whitehead (bass and keyboards), as a song writing trio known as "The Salty Peppers". [3] After releasing two singles, the band moved from Chicago to Los Angeles, adding singer Sherry Scott, [4] percussionist Yackov Ben Israel, and Maurice's brother Verdine on bass. [5] The band soon changed their name to Earth, Wind & Fire soon after, after auditioning in L.A., the band added Michael Beal on guitar, Chester Washington on reeds, Leslie Drayton on trumpet, and Alex Thomas on trombone. [5]
After releasing two album, the White brothers completely rebuild the band in 1972 with vocalist Helena Davis (soon replaced by Jessica Cleaves), woodwind player Ronnie Laws, guitarist Roland Bautista, keyboardist Larry Dunn, vocalist Philip Bailey and percussionist Ralph Johnson. [6] After releasing another album, Laws and Bautista left the band, Laws was replaced by Bailey's school friend Andrew Woolfolk, and Bautista was replaced by Al McKay and Johnny Graham. This line-up recorded a new album, following its release in 1973, Jessica Cleaves left the band and was not replaced. [5]
In 1974 the band were joined by Maurice and Verdine's brother Fred White as co drummer. [6] In 1975, the band were expanded to feature a horn section, called the EWF or Phenix Horns, which featured Don Myrick on saxophone, Louis "Lui Lui" Satterfield on trombone, Rahmlee Michael Davis on trumpet, and Michael Harris on trumpet. [5] [7] This line-up remained until 1981, when Al McKay left, [5] he was replaced by the returning Bautista. [5] After releasing three more albums, Maurice put the band on hiatus in 1984
The band returned in 1987, with returning members Verdine and Maurice White, Ralph Johnson, Philip Bailey and Andrew Woolfolk, and new members guitarists/vocalists Sheldon Reynolds and Dick Smith, keyboardist Vance Taylor, and drummer Sonny Emory. As well as a new horn section dubbed Earth, Wind & Fire Horns, consisting of Gary Bias on the saxophone, Raymond Lee Brown on the trumpet, and Reggie Young on flugelhorn and trombone. [5]
Smith left the band in 1991. Between 1992 and 1994, the band were joined by second keyboardist Fred Ravel, [8] Morris Pleasure replaced Vance Taylor in 1993, playing keyboards and bass between 1993 and 2001, [9] and David Romero played percussion between 1993 and 2002. B. David Whitworth also joined on percussion and vocalist in 1996. Robert Brookins joined on second keyboards in 1998.
Emory was replaced by Gorden Campbell in 1999, Morris Pleasure departed in 2001, and was replaced by Myron McKinley. Bobby Gonzales joined as second guitarist in 2001, John Paris replaced Campbell in 2001. Sheldon Reynolds, David Romero and Bobby Gonzales all departed in 2002, they were replaced by guitarist John Johnson and percussionist Daniel de los Reyes, Kimberly Brewer also joined as female vocalist. These three new members all departed in 2004, alongside keyboardist Robert Brookins. Krystal Bailey joined as female vocalist, though she was soon replaced Kim Johnson. Vadim Zilbershtein and Greg "G-Mo" Moore both joined as guitarists in 2004 and 2002 respectively. Zilbershtein departed in 2008, he was replaced Morris O'Connor. Bailey son, Philip Doron Bailey Jr. joined as a vocalist in 2009. Moore left in 2014, and the band were joined Serg Dimitrijevic in 2012.
Founder Maurice White died February 4, 2016, he was still a member of the band though he hadn't toured with the band regularly for a few years. [10]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Verdine White |
|
| all releases | |
Philip Bailey |
|
| all releases from Last Days and Time (1972) onwards | |
Ralph Johnson |
| |||
B. David Whitworth | 1996–present |
| The Promise (2003) | |
Myron McKinley | 2001–present |
|
| |
John Paris |
|
| ||
Morris O'Connor | 2008–present |
|
| |
Philip Doron Bailey | 2009–present |
| ||
Serg Dimitrijevic | 2012–present |
| Holiday (2014) |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Maurice White |
|
| all releases from Earth, Wind & Fire (1971) to The Classic Christmas Album (2015) | |
Wade Flemons | 1970–1972 (died 1993) |
|
| |
Michael Beal | 1970–1972 |
| ||
Leslie Drayton | trumpet | |||
Yackov Ben Israel (aka Phillard Williams) |
| |||
Sherry Scott | vocals | |||
Alexander Thomas | trombone | |||
Chester Washington | tenor saxophone | |||
Don Whitehead |
| |||
Helena Dixon | 1972 | vocals | none | |
Roland Bautista |
|
|
| |
Jessica Cleaves | 1972–1973 (died 2014) | vocals |
| |
Larry Dunn | 1972–1984 |
|
| |
Ronnie Laws | 1972–1973 |
| Last Days and Time (1972) | |
Johnny Graham | 1973–1981 |
|
| |
Al McKay | 1973–1980 |
|
| |
Andrew Woolfolk |
|
|
| |
Fred White | 1974–1984 (died 2023) |
|
| |
Beloyd Taylor | 1981–1982 (died 2014) |
|
| |
Sonny Emory | 1987–1999 |
|
| |
Sheldon Reynolds | 1987–2002 (died 2023) |
|
| |
Dick Smith | 1987–1991 | Heritage (1990) | ||
David Lautrec | 1990 | keyboards | none | |
Mike McKnight | 1987–1999 |
| none | |
Vance Taylor | 1987–1993 |
| ||
Fred Ravel | 1993–1994 | |||
Morris Pleasure | 1993–2001 |
| In the Name of Love (1997) | |
David Romero | 1993–2002 | percussion | ||
Robert Brookins | 1998–2004 (died 2009) |
| none | |
Gorden Campbell | 1999–2001 | drums | ||
Bobby Gonzales | 2001–2002 |
| ||
Daniel de los Reyes | 2002–2004 | percussion | The Promise (2003) | |
John Johnson |
| none | ||
Kimberly Brewer | vocals | |||
Krystal Bailey | 2004 | |||
Kim Johnson | 2004–2009 | |||
Greg "G-Mo" Moore | 2002–2014 |
| ||
Vadim Zilbershtein | 2004–2008 |
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gary Bias | 1987–present |
|
| |
Reggie Young | trombone |
| ||
Bobby Burns. Jr | 2004–present | trumpet | none |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Rahmlee Michael Davis | 1975–1983 | trumpet |
| |
Michael Harris |
| |||
Don Myrick | 1975–1983 (died 1993) | saxophone | ||
Louis Satterfield | 1975–1983 (died 2004) | trombone | ||
Elmer Brown | 1979 | trumpet | none | |
Raymond Lee Brown | 1987–2004 |
The following is a complete chronology of the various line-ups of Earth, Wind & Fire, from the group's inception in 1971 until the present day. [2]
Period | Members | Studio releases |
---|---|---|
1970–1972 |
|
|
1972–1973 |
|
|
1973 |
|
|
1973–1981 |
|
|
1981–1982 |
|
|
1982–1984 |
|
|
1984–1987 | Hiatus | |
1987–1991 |
|
|
1991–1992 |
| |
1992–1993 |
|
|
1993–1996 |
|
|
1996–1998 |
| |
1998–1999 |
| |
1999–2001 |
| |
2001–2002 |
| |
2002 |
| |
2002–2004 |
|
|
2004 |
| |
2004–2008 |
|
|
2008–2012 |
| |
2012–2016 |
|
|
2016–present |
|
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.
Earth, Wind & Fire is the debut studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in March 1971 by Warner Bros. Records. The album peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
Raise! is the eleventh studio album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on November 14, 1981, by ARC/Columbia Records. The album spent 11 weeks atop the Billboard Top R&B albums chart and peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 chart. Raise! has been certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, Gold in the UK by the BPI and Gold in Canada by Music Canada.
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.
Spirit is the seventh studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 28, 1976, by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
The Phenix Horns, originally known as the EWF Horns, were the main horn section for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. The horn section was composed of Don Myrick on saxophone, Louis "Lui Lui" Satterfield on trombone, Rahmlee Michael Davis on trumpet, Michael Harris on trumpet and Harry Kim on trumpet.
"Serpentine Fire" is a single by Earth, Wind & Fire that was issued in October 1977 by Columbia Records. The single rose to numbers 1 and 13 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively.
Earth, Wind & Fire is an American musical group. Their style and sound span over various music genres such as jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop. They are among the best-selling music artists of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
In the Name of Love is the seventeenth studio album by Earth, Wind & Fire, released in July 1997 on Rhino Records. The album reached No. 19 on the UK R&B Albums chart and No. 25 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart.
Earth, Wind & Fire: Live is a DVD released by the band Earth, Wind & Fire in 2001 on Image Entertainment, and Polygram Video. The DVD has been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.
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.
Another Time is the first compilation album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in September 1974 on Warner Bros. Records. It reached No. 29 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart.
Heritage is the fifteenth studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in February 1990 on Columbia Records, and was their final release of new music for the label. The album reached No. 19 on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart and No.18 on the UK Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart. Heritage also got to No. 31 on the Japanese Oricon Albums Chart and No. 39 on both the Finland Suomen virallinen albumilista and the German Pop Albums chart.
"Keep Your Head to the Sky" is a song recorded by American R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire for their 1973 album, Head to the Sky. It was released as a single by Columbia Records, peaking at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.
"In the Stone" is a song by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire issued as a single in 1979 on Columbia Records. The song rose to No. 23 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.
Louis Edward Satterfield was an American bassist and trombonist. Satterfield was a member of both The Pharaohs and the Phenix Horns. He also collaborated with prominent artists such as Earth, Wind & Fire, Muddy Waters, Phil Collins, B. B. King, The Emotions, Ramsey Lewis, The Whispers and The Gap Band.
Holiday is the twenty-first studio and the first Christmas album by the American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in October 2014 by Sony/Legacy. The album reached No. 26 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums and No. 8 on the Billboard Holiday Albums charts.
Live in Japan is a concert by the band Earth, Wind & Fire released on DVD in 2008 by Eagle Rock Entertainment.
"My Promise" is a song by the band Earth, Wind & Fire, released as a single in 2013 by Sony Music/Legacy. The song reached No. 28 on the Billboard Adult R&B Songs chart and No. 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs chart.