Earth, Wind & Fire
The origins of this colourful, imaginative group date back to the '60s and Chicago's black music session circle. Drummer Maurice White (b. 19 December 1941, Memphis, Tennessee, USA) appeared on sessions for Etta James, Fontella Bass, Billy Stewart and more, before joining the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1965. He left four years later to form the Salty Peppers, which prepared the way for an early version of Earth, Wind & Fire. 
The new group—Verdine White (b. 25 July 1951, Illinois, USA; bass), Michael Beale (guitar), Wade Flemmons (vocals), Sherry Scott (vocals), Alex Thomas (trombone), Chet Washington (tenor saxophone), Don Whitehead (keyboards) and Yackov Ben Israel (percussion)—embarked on a diffuse direction, embracing jazz, R&B and funk, as well as elements of latin and ballad styles. The extended jam, Energy, from their second album, was artistically brave, but showed a lack of cohesion within the group. White then abandoned the line-up, save his brother, and pieced together a second group around Ronnie Laws (b. 3 October 1950, Houston, Texas, USA; saxophone/guitar), Philip Bailey (b. 8 May 1951, Denver, Colorado, USA; vocals), Larry Dunn (b. Lawrence Dunhill, 19 June 1953, Colorado, USA; keyboards), Roland Battista (guitar) and Jessica Cleaves (b. 1948; vocals). He retained the mystic air of the original group but tightened the sound immeasurably, blending the disparate elements into an intoxicating 'fire'. Two 1974 releases, HEAD TO THE SKY and OPEN OUR EYES established the group as an album act, while the following year Shining Star was a number 1 hit in both the US R&B and pop charts. Their eclectic mixture of soul and jazz was now fused to an irresistible rhythmic pulse, while the songs themselves grew ever more memorable. By the end of the decade they were scoring frequently with such infectious melodious singles as Fantasy, September, After The Love Has Gone and Boogie Wonderland, the latter an energetic collaboration with The Emotions. A further recording, Got To Get You Into My Life, transformed the song into the soul classic composer Paul McCartney had originally envisaged. 
The line-up of Earth, Wind & Fire remained unstable. Philip Bailey and Ronnie Laws both embarked on solo careers as new saxophonists, guitarists and percussionists were added. White's interest in Egyptology and mysticism provided a visual platform for the expanded group, particularly in their striking live performances. However, following 11 gold albums, 1983's ELECTRIC UNIVERSE was an unexpected commercial flop, and prompted a four-year break. A slim-line core quintet, comprising the White brothers, Andrew Woolfolk, Sheldon Reynolds and Philip Bailey, recorded TOUCH THE WORLD in 1987 but they failed to reclaim their erstwhile standing. HERITAGE (1990) featured cameos from rapper MC Hammer and Sly Stone, in an attempt to shift White's vision into the new decade.