showbiz
Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White dies at 74
Maurice White, lead vocalist for 'Earth, Wind & Fire'. Family members say White has died at 74. – Reuters pic, February 5, 2016.Maurice White, the founder of R&B funk band Earth, Wind & Fire, died in Los Angeles at age 74, a band spokesman said.
White died at his home on Wednesday night from natural causes, publicist Mark Young said. White had been battling Parkinson's disease since 1994.
"My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep," White's brother and fellow band member, Verdine White, said in a statement posted on the band's Facebook page.
"While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives," he added.
"Thank you for your prayers and well wishes."
Earth, Wind & Fire was founded by White, a session drummer, in 1969 after he moved from Chicago to Los Angeles. The Grammy-winning band fused together rhythm and blues, gospel, funk, soul and African sounds, and enjoyed numerous hits, including "Shining Star", "Boogie Wonderland" and "September".
While White stopped touring with the band in 1994 due to health issues, he remained active in the songwriting and production of the group's music.
Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. – Reuters, February 5, 2016.
Please note that you must sign up with disqus.com before commenting. And, please refrain from comments of a racist, sexist, personal, vulgar or derogatory nature and note that comments can be edited, rewritten for clarity or to avoid questionable issues. As comments are moderated, they may not appear immediately or even on the same day you posted them. We also reserve the right to delete off-topic comments