Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, has died. The singer, whose sound was unavoidable during the 1970s, was 74.
His brother, Verdine White, told The Associated Press that White died on Feb. 3 at his Los Angeles home. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease and hadn’t toured with the band since 1995.
“My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep,” Verdine White, who was also a member of the band’s original line-up, told the AP. “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.”
The nine-piece Earth, Wind & Fire dominated the second half of the 1970s after the release of 1975’s That’s The Way Of The World. Their hit singles included “Boogie Wonderland,” “September,” “Shining Star,” “Serpentine Fire” and “That’s The Way Of The World.” They also had a hit with a cover of The Beatles’ “Got To Get You Into My Life.”
Their songs were defined by vocal acrobatics, sounds that made it impossible to sit down while listening to and punchy horns. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000 and is set to receive a special Grammy award this month.
As The New York Times notes, White was born on Dec. 19, 1941 in Memphis and began his career as a drummer. In 1969, he formed Salty Peppers, which he later renamed Earth, Wind & Fire and signed with Warner Bros. Records. They scored 16 Top 40 singles and six Grammys. White also won a Grammy for his arrangement of “Got To Get You Into My Life.”
White’s memoir, Keep Your Head to the Sky: My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire, will be released on Sept. 13.