Looking Back at Earth, Wind & Fire

Maurice White the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire is now gone, and we want to go back and share our thoughts on this brilliant group.

Earth Wind and Fire are elements of our mother earth. It’s also the name of one of the most interesting bands that began in the late 60s/early 70s that is still entertaining audiences today.
In 1969, Windy City musician Maurice White, Al McKay, Andrew Woolfolk, Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Larry Dunn formed the “Salty Peppers”. They had some regional success but eventually changed their name to Earth Wind and Fire because Maurice White was fascinated with his astrological sign, and combined three other band members’ signs to get EW&F. EW&F was the first African-American act to sell out Madison Square Garden.

In 2000, Earth, Wind & Fire were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and to add regal honors to their accolades, they have also performed for Presidents Bill Clinton and President Obama.

EW&F has been nominated for a Grammy 20 times, winning six. Two of its members Maurice and Philip have won a Grammy outside the band.

Off the record, Beatle Paul McCartney confessed that he liked the EWF version of “Got to Get You into My Life” better than theirs, the original.

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Photo credit: Randy Miramontez / Shutterstock.com