Biography
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Songs
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Maurice White
There is very little in the music business that Maurice White has not done. During his thirty-plus years in the industry, Maurice has created an unparalleled legacy as a bandleader, songwriter, producer and musician. He has also headed his own record label, production company and recording studio. In the process, his musical creations have touched the hearts and minds of people everywhere in a way most artists can only dream of doing.
One of nine children, Maurice grew up in Memphis where he was exposed to all types of music like gospel, blues, jazz, R&B and early rock-and-roll, which helped shape his musical foundation. Originally a drummer, Maurice's education included training at the prestigious Chicago Conservatory of Music. His first professional experience was as staff drummer at Chess Records, where during his five-year stint he kept the beat for such giants as Etta James, Willie Dixon and Ramsey Lewis among numerous others. It was Lewis that got Maurice out of the studio and onto the road. "Ramsey helped shape my musical vision beyond just the music," Maurice recalls. "I learned about performance and staging. He really was a great teacher."
In 1969, he started his own band along with keyboardists/vocalists Wade Flemons and Don Whitehead, called The Salty Peppers, which was the basis for what has been called the greatest crossover band ever - Earth, Wind & Fire. Maurice came to Los Angeles in 1970 on a mission to create a truly universal group - universal in spirit and ambitious in scope, defying boundaries of color, culture and categorization. Naming the outfit for the elements in his astrological chart, Maurice instilled in Earth, Wind & Fire a sense of mastery of four principles of the music art form - excellence in composition, musicianship, production and performance. After a year-and-a-half, Flemons and Whitehead departed and Maurice recruited younger brother Verdine (bass) and singer Philip Bailey, which proved to be the winning combination.
Earth, Wind & Fire was one of the first bands to bring elements from African heritage into the pop mainstream, and they did it with pride. African rhythms mingled freely with intricate jazz, funk, gospel and rock instrumentation and melodies. Maurice used bombastic horn arrangements, layers upon layers of groove, and a little African thumb piano called a kalimba to dog-ear Earth, Wind & Fire's music, not to mention his charismatic tenor vocals. The messages in their songs were spiritually charged affirmations of love and hope, promising and comforting in difficult times and frivolously fun in lighter moments. The results: six Grammy Awards, four American Music Awards, over 50 gold and platinum albums, and a list of hits that includes "Shining Star," "That's The Way Of The World," "Can't Hide Love," "Sing A Song," "Fantasy," "September," "Boogie Wonderland," "After The Love Has Gone" and "Let's Groove."
On stage, they earned accolades for their enormously entertaining concerts. Flashy, explosive and heartwarming, it is a genuine love affair that unfolds each time the band took the stage as Maurice beamed warmth, peace and raw sexuality with panache throughout the proceedings. They were the first black act to engage rock theatrics - lights, pyrotechnics, stunts and even magic tricks - and sell-out arenas worldwide.
In association with Columbia Records, Maurice launched a record label, ARC, in the late seventies, which released albums by The Emotions, Deniece Williams and Earth, Wind & Fire's own collections. Unfortunately, due to his rigid touring schedule and recording duties, ARC was short-lived. "The pressures of leading the band to new heights plus constantly being on the road or in the studio was totally consuming. I didn't focus or have the energy to put into the label the way I should have," Maurice reflects.
Making the most of a four-year hiatus from Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-eighties, Maurice produced an extraordinary list of vocalists including Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, El DeBarge and Jennifer Holliday in addition to contributing songs to motion picture soundtracks. He tasted success individually as a solo artist with a version of the Ben E. King classic, "Stand By Me," that went Top 10 on the R&B singles chart, which appeared on his solo album.
In the mid-nineties, Maurice decided to stop touring to focus on building his own legacy. While the band still tours, Maurice has begun to develop a number of both entertainment and non-entertainment interests under the umbrella of his own company, Kalimba Entertainment. Recent projects include catalog acquisition, licensing and merchandising deals, artist signings, development of philharmonic and opera entities and a live appearance series. He continues writing and producing for other artists and often collaborates with other singer/songwriters and producers.
One of the phases included conceiving the crowd-pleasing Broadway musical Hot Feet. Joining Maurice in this production was Tony nominated Broadway veteran Maurice Hines. The combination of Maurice’s music and lyrics together with Hines’ direction and choreography and a talented cast, including the Broadway debut of Vivian Nixon, daughter of multi-talented Debbie Allen, added up to sold out audiences.
Maurice’s most recent project took him back to his Memphis roots. He conceived, and executive produced, Interpretations: Celebrating the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire (March 27, 2007)which was the first release from the newly revitalized Stax Records imprint. This 10-song CD fit snugly into the legacy of Stax using the talents of first-rate artists including Angie Stone, Mint Condition, Meshell Ndegeocell0, Lalah Hathaway, the legendary Chaka Khan, Ledisi, Musiq Soulchild, The Randy Watson Experience featuring Bilal, Dwele and Kirk Franklin.
Earth, Wind & Fire has indubitably inspired fans globally and influenced countless recording artists. While Maurice is still making new magic with the band he founded, Kalimba Entertainment provides him new outlets to develop pristine talent and produce an array of artists from different musical genres in addition to pursuing numerous business opportunities outside of the music business. "Music is my passion and it is a medium in which people of all backgrounds and makeup can communicate," Maurice says. "In this next chapter, I'm looking forward to continuing to bring to people music of the highest quality, music that stimulates and encourages people to be their very best." 
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