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Maurice White

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Maurice White was the founder, leader and chief producer of Earth, Wind & Fire. He was born in 1941 in Memphis and studied at the conservatory in Chicago. There he worked as a studio drummer at Chess Records, including on records by Etta James and Chuck Berry. In 1966 he became drummer of the Ramsey Lewis Trio. On the album Another Voyage (1969) he played the kalimba, an African thumb piano, for the first time.

Music and breakthrough

In 1969 White started the group Salty Peppers in Chicago. After a move to Los Angeles he called the band Earth, Wind & Fire. White wrote most of the songs and sang the lead parts together with Philip Bailey. He added a full horn section, first the Phenix Horns and later the Earth, Wind & Fire Horns. This created funk with the fullness of a big orchestra: brass, percussion, multi-part vocals and the kalimba as a special colour. Boogie Wonderland (1979), with the vocal group The Emotions, reached the top 10 in America. As a producer White also made Best of My Love by The Emotions, which reached number 1 in 1977.

Influence

The albums of Earth, Wind & Fire have sold more than 90 million copies in total. White won seven Grammys, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the band and was himself inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He suffered from Parkinson's disease for a long time and died in 2016 in Los Angeles, aged 74.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen in Boogie Wonderland to the brass: short, fierce stabs that answer the vocals. Notice too how the voices of Earth, Wind & Fire and The Emotions alternate above the disco beat.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

See also

Categories: Artists