My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire

by Maurice White, Herb Powell

Overview

One of the most famous and popular entertainers of the 20th century, Maurice White left an enduring legacy in his creation of Earth, Wind & Fire, this genre-transcending group who earned multiple Grammy Awards and most recently a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Completed before his recent death, Maurice opens up in My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire about his struggles, his big breaks, and the founding of a band that would forever change music. White’s love of music began when he was still a boy in South Memphis, learning to play the drums with Booker T. Jones and supporting his mother with a modest paper route. From there he would go on to train at the Chicago Conservatory of music and finally creating Earth, Wind & Fire in Los Angeles, writing and recording the hits that live on in our cultural conscience.

My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire is intimately moving and beautiful in its breadth of Maurice White’s inspiring life. Here was a man whose creativity and determination carried him to great success, and whose faith enabled him to find music in every moment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062496942
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/13/2016
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	576
Sales rank:	1,125,775
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Maurice White (1941—2016) worked in the music industry for more than forty years as a bandleader, songwriter, producer, and musician. He founded the legendary group Earth, Wind & Fire and served as its main songwriter and record producer, and as its co—lead singer. White won six Grammys and three NAACP Image Awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Table of Contents

Introduction Steve Harvey vii

Foreword David Foster ix

Prologue 1

Part I Memphis Wonderland

1 Mother Dear, Mama, and Me 5

2 As I Yearn, So I Learn 16

3 I'll Never Lose Chicago Blues 30

4 The Chess Lessons 45

5 The Ramsey Lewis Trio 59

6 The World Can't Erase My Fantasy 80

Part II Between The Vision and the Fulfillment

7 Starting from Scratch 87

8 Hearts of Fire, New Desire 102

9 Trusting in the Process 122

10 Step 136

Part III To Sing our Message Loud and Clear

11 True Pride 147

12 Accepting Life 157

13 That's the Way of the World 163

14 Expansion 178

15 Gratitude 188

16 Departure 199

Part IV Full-Spectrum Music

17 Musical and Spiritual Progressives 209

18 The Best of My Love at the Best of Times 216

19 All 'N All 221

20 Musical Theater, Magical Tour 230

21 Beginnings and Endings 242

22 A Hell of a Left Hand 250

23 I Am 257

Part V The Changing Times

24 All in the Creator's Hands 269

25 Don't Make My Band Your Crusade 273

26 The Groove 284

27 Black Tax 292

28 Something's Got to Give 306

29 On the Solo 313

30 Blindsided 324

31 Not Fitting In 327

32 A Time of Symbolism 336

33 Letting Go 340

Part VI Contemplation

34 Time Will Witness What the Old Folks Say 347

35 When My Final Song Is Sung 354

Afterword 357

Acknowledgments 361

Permissions 365

Index 369

Editorial Reviews

My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire is the candid and intimate odyssey of a man whose music and ideology continues to have an immeasurable influence on artists and audiences worldwide.

Philadelphia Inquirer

A long anticipated tome that will have fans riveted as [White] openly and methodically peels back the layers of his life, answering so many of the questions and solving so many of the mysteries long held about him and one of the greatest bands - critically and commercially - in any genre of all-time…Writing this book so many years after EWF’s peak coupled with his spiritual, analytical and introspective nature all gave White a platform to be as thorough, thoughtful and honest about all aspects of his life.

The Urban Music Scene.com

[The] musical elements [of Earth, Wind & Fire] would not have existed without the singular drive of Maurice White. And his words here provide one magical, mystery tour.

Houston Press

White’s book is practically a how-to manual for leading a band… Aspiring musicians could certainly learn a lesson or two.

New York Times Book Review

White's book is practically a how-to manual for leading a band. For all of his mysticism, he writes at length—and with greatest passion—about the need for organization and discipline. Tour budgets and contract negotiations get at least as much attention as songwriting and recording…

The New York Times Book Review - Alan Light

07/11/2016
In this powerful and substantial memoir, White (who died in February 2016), the creative force behind Earth, Wind & Fire, shares the belief—in God, in himself, in the power of music—that helped him overcome an underprivileged childhood and institutional racism to create phenomenal, self-driven success. White keeps his personal life closely guarded, but he addresses his failures with self-deprecating honesty. The book is more than a chronological tale of a career; it’s a quest for meaning. White does stray into some repetitive territory during the second half, but this reflects his dogged, focused personality. It is only through pushing himself to work hard in the face of disappointment and to remain positive and avoid the pitfalls of drugs that White can steer Earth, Wind & Fire to become the musical force it remains to this day. White’s life and music orbit themes of social justice, spirituality, and self-reliance. White writes strongly about the nature of black masculinity during and after the civil rights movement, and what it means to be a good man. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in the 1990s, White showed dramatic grace in his acceptance of decline and loss. The memoir captures a life of determination, positivity, and success tempered by depth and humility. Agent: Faith Childs, Faith Childs Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

[A] powerful and substantial memoir… The book is more than a chronological tale of a career; it’s a quest for meaning… The memoir captures a life of determination, positivity, and success tempered by depth and humility.” — Publishers Weekly

“My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire is the candid and intimate odyssey of a man whose music and ideology continues to have an immeasurable influence on artists and audiences worldwide.” — Philadelphia Inquirer

“[The] musical elements [of Earth, Wind & Fire] would not have existed without the singular drive of Maurice White. And his words here provide one magical, mystery tour.” — Houston Press

“White’s book is practically a how-to manual for leading a band… Aspiring musicians could certainly learn a lesson or two.” — New York Times Book Review

From the Publisher

The pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco band Earth, Wind & Fire is the subject of this detailed memoir by band member Maurice White. Dion Graham performs this autobiography with a smooth reading that echoes the rhythms of the band. Lyrics, poems, and music are intertwined with descriptions of this influential musician’s life. From his youth in Memphis to his adult years in Chicago, White was part of the music scene, drumming and beating his way from backup band to stardom. Graham’s deep-voiced reading throbs with music, especially when he recites words to White’s songs. His narration is as smooth as the band’s music. Throughout his career, White worked with the big names in jazz and blues, developing his own sound. Graham captures his sound and polish with every word he intones. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

NOVEMBER 2016 - AudioFile