Maurice White Essay

On December 9, 1941, Maurice was born in Memphis, Tennessee, a major city with a history, deep in the music industry. He lived in the South Memphis projects with his father Verdine, who was a doctor, his older brother, Verdine, and a friend of the family, Booker T. Jones. When he was a teenage boy, the family moved to the South Shore section on the South Side of Chicago. After Maurice graduated from high school, he attended Crane Junior College, and as his love of music grew, he went to the Chicago Conservatory of Music.

Verdine White Earth Wind and Fire’s Facebook page announced the passing of their founder, on their Facebook page, Earth Wind and Fire. "My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his
sleep. 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."
"Our brother Maurice White passed peacefully in his sleep this morning. The light is he, shining on you and me.
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Maurice White received his first lucky break into the music world when he was asked to fill in as a drummer in a session with Betty Everett.
It was during that time that he played for some of the greatest musical artists around, who consistently topped the charts in R&B, blues, and jazz. Mr. White was a drummer for major groups like Etta James, Buddy Guy, The Impressions, The Dells, Chester Burnett, Little Milton, Fontella Bass, Sonny Stitt, and Billy Stewart.
Mr. White was making a name for himself, so in1966 he joined the Ramsey Lewis Trio and they released hits including Wade in the Water and Maiden Voyage. Although Maurice started out with the drums, he also played a kalimba on the song Uhuru. This instrument is like a little thumb piano and it is believed to have originated in Africa. The group released nine albums while he was a member, but then Maurice decided it was time to form his own group. He left the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1969 and founded his own group, Salty Peppers. The Salty Peppers, which included Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, had the hit song, La La Time and shortly after that, the band left their homes in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles. However, the group did not survive long after that and the Salty Peppers went their separate
ways.
Mr. White did not let that bother him as he quickly reformed another group, which carved their names in music history. Maurice and his brother Verdine came up with their group’s name by basing it on the elements of his star sign. Sagittarius, thus, Earth, Wind, and Fire were born.
Maurice White co-wrote and produced many of the songs that topped the charts including Evil, Shining Star, , Wanna Be With You, and Sunday Morning.It was when they released their song, That’s the Way of the World in 1975 that their career took off.
In the late 1980s, Maurice discovered he had Parkinson’s disease, but he did not let that stop him from singing, writing, and being a vital member of Earth Wind and Fire. He stayed and was with them until 1994 because of health complications and tiredness forced him to resign.
Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2003, the group was inducted into the Hollywood Rock Walk and in 2010; Maurice was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame.