Part II

 

Maurice White: My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire

Introduction

by

Steve Harvey

Timeless

To write about how I feel about Earth, Wind & Fire, a musical group that has meant more to me than any other, is a true blessing.  The band's music is stored in my soul.  I first heard the group when I was in high school.  I'll never forget the power of the album Head to the Sky.  The song that I absolutely loved was This World Is a Masquerade.  It remains my jam.

By the time I got to college, I was all over them.  As a freshman at Kent State, I vividly remember walking into a store called the Cucumber Castle and buying Earth, Wind & Fire's That's the Way of the World for $3.95.  At the time, it broke me, but it was well worth it.  ore than four decades later Earth, Wind & Fire's music is by far the most-played music of my life -- Love's Holiday, That's the Way of the World, Can't Hide Love and Be ever Wonderful are in my personal top ten.

Earth, Wind & Fire is simply one of the greatest living groups, period.  No one put together lyrics to a melody like they did; no one added horns in the way they they did; and no one, but no one, messed with our minds about love and life like they did.  They remained so thoroughly committed to soul, yet had a universal sound -- and appeal.  On top of all that, they knew how to show!

I can't express how fully and completely this band has touched my being.  They have moved me beyond words over the years.  Their lyrics interpret and convey my emotions and in harmony.  They sing my feelings exactly as they are, in words that coule not have said it better.  I've shared the music with my three sons, age ranging from almost adult to their mid-twenties.  I was excited when they all put several albums in their iPods.  It made me smile.  

It's an honor to be asked to endorse Maurice White's amazing life story of how he took his band from conception to legendary status.  The book is rich in tales of brothers in song -- that damn Verdine "The Bass" White, Philip "Have Mercy" Bailey, and the rest of the heaven-sent band.  God was right on time when he hooked up their skills.  My interpretation of the elements; Earth because they grow on you; Wind because they move you in one loving direction; and Fire because they set your heart aflame.  Hands down, Earth, Wind & Fire is the greatest group of all time.

Maurice, I love and appreciate you at the highest level.  This book made me smil over and over again: learning the behind-the-scenes of your music, getting a chance to hear the thoughts behind the lyrics, and matching them up with mine.

Maurice, thank you for all that you have done for the world of music.  Thank you for the insight.  Thank you for your gift, not only to me but to us all.  Thank you for honoring love the way you did, for real music that will never die, fade away, or go out of style.  This thing you did is timeless.  Thank you for letting God use you to do what you were born to do.  Most people go through life never knowing what they were brought here to do.  But you did it, man, and you did it like no one else -- not before and not since.

I'm just glad God allowed me to live to hear it for myself, because Lord have mercy, here ain't nothing like your music!  

Maurice White: My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire 

Foreword

by 

David Foster

A True American Treasure

Music history will affirm Maurice White's unique contribution to rock and roll.  Most will extol his many hit records, his leadership abilities or his God-given talents as a producer, drumer and singer, but it would be a disservice to limit his contributions to these well-known accomplishments.  Maurice White was more; he was a catalyst.  Through his creation of Earth, Wind & Fire he changed the musical and performance landscape of pop music forever.

It was foredestined that the first sixteen Grammys should be awarded for the song After the Love is Gone, not because the song meant more to me than other hits that would come later, but because the song was my vehicle into the world of my mentor, hero and friend Maurice White.  

I first met Maurice in early 1978.  I was a session musician and arranger then, and had just started to produce records of my own.  When I sat down at the piano and played After the Love is Gone for Maurice, it was a life-altering moment for me.

I believe Maurice and I hit it off so well because we both believe that being a good musician is a fine thing, but greatness is always the goal.  In fact, my mantra is that good is the enemy of great.  As I expected, I saw nothing but greatness in him during our first meeting; I somehow knew being around him would make me better.  When you come from Canada, as I do, you have to work twice as hard to be taken half as seriously as a musician and my work benefited from the ultimate guide -- the music of Earth, Wind & Fire.  I learned so much about how to fuse the different genres of R&B, jazz and classical yet still retain my own signature in the final product.  

I was also a normal, everyday fan, one of those thousands of people who stood in line at Tower Records in Hollywood so that one minute after midnight I could get the next Earth, Wind & Fire album.

For so very long I wanted to tell the world about Maurice's contribution to my life.  At one point I entertained the idea of having a big testimonial dinner in his honor.  I should have know; Maurice, being the very private man he is, wasn't having any of that.  But in October of 2010, at my latest David Foster & Friends television special on PBS, I finally get the chance to publicly tell him, and the world, how I felt.  I think my words that night summed it up:

There is also someone here tonight, a man who taught me more about making music, about decency, about calmness, about well-being and about the true spirit of music than any other human being on the planet. One thing I know for sure, if he hadn't been born, pop music would sound a lot different today.  That man is the genius behind Earth, Wind & Fire.  Ladies and gentlemen, he's here with us tonight in a rare public appearance -- Maurice White, my hero, my mentor and a true American treasure.  

That was a special moment for me: cliche as it may be, I think it's important to give credit to those on whose shoulders you stand, and -- when life permits it -- to give that credit directly, face to face with the ones you owe.  As you might imagine, being able to do that in person in front of eight thousand people felt better for me than it probably did for Maurice.

Now, after reading Maurice's memoir, I finally understand how a humble Memphis unbringing gave the world the electrifying and optimistic music of Earth, Wind & Fire.  His story is not a luric rock-and-roll story about "the leader of the band" but a subtle, beautifully told one about clarity, core motivations, courage and above all, music -- all told through the eyes of a private man dedicated to using music to lift the spirit of the listening world.  

This textured narrative is a testament to the musical boundaries Maurice White erased and the different people he brought together, a testament that shows who he is personaly and professionally.  For me, it recalls the many creative bursts we shared -- moments I will always cherish.  

This is the story of a true American treasure, indeed.

Prologue

 by Maurice White

On March 6, 2000, I stepped to the podium at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City to accept Earth, Wind & Fire's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  In my acceptance speech, I told the audience that establishing the band's place in history had been a hard road, but a good road.  I considered the honor a small capstone to a long career in what I believe is the highest form of creative expression -- music.

The long and winding word that led up to this moment started in a series of dreams I had in 1969.  These dreams, which I believe were given to me from the Divine, inspired me to form a band that would uplift the human spirit, whether through celebrating the benefits of developing the inner life or simply creating joyous musical moments.  

I've given the music of Earth, Wind & Fire everything I have:  mind, body, and spirit.  When I hear those songs today, on the radio or coming from the television, the lyrics don't bring back memories of writing, recording, or even performing them.  Rather, they remind me of my personal life journey.  

My odyssey with Earth, Wind & Fire has taught me that the significant events of our lives become a spiritual story.  I hope that when you read my story, you will be inspired to live your own life with gratitude and purpose.  My Memphis Christian roots, which evolved into my belief in the univeral truths of all the faiths and the wisdom of the stars, have guided my path.  But it's the lesson of my spiritual story that have made me a survivor and kept my head to the sky.