The Old Guard: Maurice White, Leader Of Earth Wind & Fire, Dies At 74

The words "old guard," tend to refer to the established, often conservative element within a society. But, I have often heard it used in reference to those whose customs, practices, and traditions carry on beyond the times in which they were created. When it comes to music, the "old guard," can be found among those artists and bands whose music has stood the test of time. The names of which are numerous and stretch across every genre.

On February 3rd 2016, Maurice White the leader of the R&B band/group, Earth Wind & Fire, died in his home in Los Angeles, after a long battle with Parkinson's Disease. He was 74. Mr. White formed the band with his brother Verdine in 1969. He was one of the band's lead singers up until the mid 1990s, and continued to write and produce for the band/group until shortly before his death.

Mr. White spent time in his early career backing Ramsey Lewis. At the time he was in Chicago, but in 1969 he moved to Los Angeles with a band called, The Salty Peppers. When the group failed to take off, in 1971 Mr. White changed the name of the group to Earth Wind & Fire after certain elements of his astrological sign. The group's lineup changed in the first few years. Philip Bailey and Mr. White's brothers Verdine and eventually Fred, joined the band.

Earth Wind & Fire's early hits include, Head to The Sky and Mighty Mighty. Then in 1975, things really took off with the release of the sound track to the movie, That's The Way of The World. The movie also featured the band playing a fictional version of themselves as struggling musicians. The album featured the number one hit, Shining Star, which the band won a Grammy for best R&B performance.

After the success of That's The Way of The World, the hits became many as Earth Wind & Fire"s mix of R&B, Soul, Funk, Jazz, and Rock set a standard for what an R&B band should be. Through out the 70s and into the 80s they became known for uptempo grooves like Serpentine Fire and Let's Groove as well as ballads like Love's Holiday and After the Love is gone. In time, many other artists came to emulate their style.

Mr. White was once quoted as stating the world was a "negative place" and that he wanted to emphasize all things positive. He said, "Our goal was to reach all of the people and keep a universal atmosphere - to create a positive energy." 

While Funk is not Classical music, which continues to enjoy popularity, it can still be said that there are Funk classics, and Rock and Jazz classics too. The question is, whether or not someone from this or future generations will step forward and carry the torch! Be true to the Funk and remember the, "old guard."