Jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro-pop are all represented in the music of the American band Earth, Wind & Fire (also known as EW&F or EWF). With over 90 million records sold worldwide, they are one of the best-selling bands of all time.
Out of the Salty Peppers, Maurice White formed the band in Chicago in 1969. Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Roland Bautista, Robert Brookins, Sonny Emory, Fred Ravel, Ronnie Laws, Sheldon Reynolds, and Andrew Woolfolk are a few notable members who have held prominent positions. In addition to Bailey’s falsetto and Maurice’s baritone contrast, the band is renowned for its kalimba sound, vibrant horn section, and intense and spectacular stage performances.
The group has received four American Music Awards and six Grammy Awards out of a possible 17 nominations. They have received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood’s Rockwalk. The group has been honored with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019, the Congressional Horizon Award in 2012, the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, the Soul Train Legend Award, the NARAS Signature Governor’s Award, and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Rolling Stone has dubbed them “innovative, precise yet sensual, calculating yet electrifying” and said that the band “changed the sound of black pop”.
