Hitmaker band Earth, Wind & Fire’s drummer Fred White passed away at the age of 67 on New Year’s Day. The world lost another music legend as White served as backup to his brothers Maurice and Verdine. The Grammy-winning group was formed in 1970.
Maurice created the band, with Verdine as the vocalist, percussionist, and bass player, and Fred as the drummer. The band is known for its jazz, R&B, funk, soul, and rock music elements. Above all, they incorporated African music into their songs.
Drummer Fred White And His Legacy In The Music Industry
Earth, Wind & Fire has become a globally admired music band, with countless popular radio hits and incredible live performances. The group started to rise in fame after they went under Columbia Records’ management, which was then headed by Clive Davis.
Before he joined Earth, Wind & Fire, Fred has been playing the drums and was already successful. He played for Donny Hathaway in the mid-1970s. Verdine said that his brother is a truly gifted musician, and as young as 16 years old, he has already accomplished gold records.
Verdine also wrote on his Instagram account:
“But more than that at home and beyond he was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous! And we could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more lighthearted!”
The drummer’s brother did not reveal the cause of his death nor where he died. On the other hand, Maurice wrote in his memoir:
“Fred was the brick wall. He provided a rock-solid tempo and a rock-solid feel, priceless qualities in a drummer. He was one of the best things going for us.”
Fred White was born Frederick Eugene Adams in Chicago. He changed his surname to White to make certain that he is related to Maurice. He played the drums at the age of 9 and started joining gigs when he was 13. At 14, he already played for a nightclub band, and at 15, he met Donny Hathaway.
Earth, Wind & Fire Continues To Soar High On Airwaves
Earth, Wind & Fire made popular songs such as Let’s Groove, Boogie Wonderland, Shining Star, and September. These songs proved to be hits even to this day, with a whopping 1.18 billion plays on Spotify.
Aside from making music, the ensemble also played in the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show, won six Grammy awards, and joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Fred White eventually left the band in the mid-1980s, though he continued to play for other bands.
Source: ABC News
