Source: White/Wiki Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Maurice_White
LifeTimeline
Maurice White
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The Evolution of Earth, Wind & Fire: In the Beginning, White Created The Salty Peppers
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The Salty Peppers Start a Fire...Earth, Wind & Fire
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Goodbye Warner Brothers, Hello Columbia Records
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Earth, Wind & Fire Heads to the Skies
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You Lose Some, You Hit Big...That's The Way of the World
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Earth, Wind, Fire...and Flash!
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The Magic Ends ...at least for a little while
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Reunion! The Elements Get Back Together
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Maurice Steps Away
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The Evolution of Earth, Wind & Fire: In the Beginning, White Created The Salty Peppers
Chicago, Illinois
In 1969, White left the Ramsey Lewis Trio and formed a group called the Salty Peppers with friends, Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead.
Capitol Records signed them and they had a medium size hit in the Midwest with their single, "La La Time."
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The Salty Peppers Start a Fire...Earth, Wind & Fire
Los Angeles, California
After not having any more hits as the Salty Peppers, the band moved from Chicago to Los Angeles. With the move, White changed the name of the band to Earth, Wind and Fire. Warner Brothers released their first album in 1971. The initial reviews for the album were mixed with reviewers commenting that the lyrics "are as preachy and lovepeace cloying as anything Motown has done recently.' (Rolling Stone)
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Goodbye Warner Brothers, Hello Columbia Records
United States
Despite Earth, Wind & Fire's growing popularity on college campuses, Warner Brothers didn't know how to promote the band. After six months, the group's members, except for White's brother, Verdine quit the group. With Verdine, White re-formed Earth, Wind and Fire with new members including vocalist Philip Bailey.
A performance at Rockefeller Center impressed Clive Davis, the President of Columbia Records, and he brought them to his label after buying their contract from Warner Brothers. Their first album on the new label was "Last Days and Time."
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Earth, Wind & Fire Heads to the Skies
United States
The release of its second Columbia album, "Head To The Sky," earned Earth, Wind & Fire its first hit singles, "Evil" (written by White & vocalist Philip Bailey) and "Keep Your Head To The Sky." Up to then, White had been performing only as the group's drummer, but with the success of "Evil", he became Earth, Wind & Fire's lead singer.
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You Lose Some, You Hit Big...That's The Way of the World
United States
In 1975, Sig Shore, producer of the hit film, Super Fly, asked the group to record the soundtrack for a movie about the dark side of the record industry called "That's The Way of the World." White and EWF not only played on the soundtrack, they also appeared in the film. After seeing the final product, White was sure the movie would be a flop, so he made sure the soundtrack album was released before the film's premiere. It was a smart move. While the movie was a bomb, the album was EWF's breakthrough. They became the first black act to top both Billboard's album and singles charts.
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Earth, Wind, Fire...and Flash!
United States
During this time, EWF's live concerts became filled with magic, laser lights, pyrotechnics and dazzling special effects. Every move the band made was now choreographed.
Here they are performing That's The Way of the World live at the Music For Unicef concert in the United Nations General Assembly in 1979.
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The Magic Ends ...at least for a little while
United States
As synthesizers and digital instruments became more popular in the industry, White felt the band needed to incorporate the new electronic sound. EWF's first album with the new sound, "Raise" went platinum. But the release of the fully synthesized "Electric Universe" in 1983 was panned by critics and listeners alike. The negative reaction led to White's decision to put EWF on hiatus.
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Reunion! The Elements Get Back Together
United States
In 1987, CBS Records persuaded White to reorganize Earth, Wind & Fire.
Their album return with "Touch The World" rose to number 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"System of Survival," a single from the album, rose to number one on Billboard's R&B and Dance charts.
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Maurice Steps Away
United States
In 1994, White announced he was retiring from touring with EWF. He explained that he was exhausted from being on the road. As he later revealed in 1999, Parkinson's Disease had made it difficult to handle performing live. He stayed active behind the scenes, continuing to write, produce and record the group. White made his last appearance with the group in 2010 in Las Vegas, where he was paid tribute by music producer David Foster.
