Earth, Wind & Fire
Earth, Wind & Fire | |
|---|---|
Earth, Wind & Fire performing in 2009 | |
| Background information | |
| Also known as |
|
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active |
|
| Labels |
|
| Spinoff of | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| Members |
|
| Past members |
|
| Website | earthwindandfire |
Earth, Wind & Fire (abbreviated as EW&F or EWF) is an American band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969. Their music spans multiple genres, including jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin and Afro-pop.[4][5] They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.[6][7][8]
The band was formed by Maurice White, originating out of the Salty Peppers; its history includes a hiatus from mid-1984 to mid-1987.[6][9] Prominent members have included Verdine White, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds and Andrew Woolfolk.[10] The band is known for its kalimba sound, dynamic horn section, energetic and elaborate stage shows, and the contrast between Bailey's falsetto and Maurice's tenor vocals.[11][12]
The band has won six Grammy Awards out of 17 nominations[13] and four American Music Awards out of 12 nominations.[4] They have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood's Rockwalk, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The band has also received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, a Soul Train Legend Award,[4][14] a NARAS Signature Governor's Award,[4] a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award,[4][13] the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award,[15] and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019.[16] Rolling Stone has called them "innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing" and declared that the band "changed the sound of black pop".[17] VH1 has described EWF as "one of the greatest bands".[11]
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire Drummer Fred White has died, aged 67". Mixmag.
- ^ "Earth Wind & Fire's 10 greatest songs ever, ranked". Smooth.
- ^ King, Jason (February 5, 2016). "Maurice White: The Audacity of Uplift". NPR Music. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Maurice White". songhall.org. Songwriters Hall of Fame.
- ^ Light, Alan (1992). "The Kalimba Story". Rolling Stone.
- ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire". rockhall.com. Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire". Hollywood Walk of Fame. October 25, 2019.
- ^ "The Vocal Group Hall Of Fame". Vocal Group Hall of Fame.
- ^ Wang, Oliver (February 5, 2016). "Maurice White: five deep cuts from the Earth, Wind & Fire co-founder". The Guardian. London. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire Members". earthwindandfire.com.
- ^ a b O'Keefe, Meghan (April 22, 2014). "Happy Earth, Wind & Fire Day!". VH1. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Nathan-1993was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b "Earth, Wind & Fire". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. June 28, 2023.
- ^ "Legendary R&B Group Earth, Wind & Fire Inducted into Hollywood's Rockwalk". ascap.com. ASCAP. July 7, 2003.
- ^ Totland, Colton (June 20, 2012). "Congressional medals awarded to community-driven youths". The Washington Times.
- ^ "Celebrate the 2019 Honorees". Kennedy Center. December 8, 2019.
- ^ "Earth, Wind & Fire: Biography". Rolling Stone.