Maurice White

 

 

 

 

 

This week a true musical legend and genius passed, Maurice White, the founder and leader of Earth, Wind and Fire after years of battling Parkinson’s disease. EWF became my favorite band, musicians, song writers, etc. when I was about 7 or 8 years old. They supplanted the previous reign of Al Green

and the Jackson 5, only later to be joined by the likes of Prince, and Miles Davis.

I got my first 2 EWF albums when I was about 9,  That’s the Way of The World, and Spirit during an outing with my mom to  the record store. I wore those albums out for many years, until switching to cassette and later CD and now my iTunes. I collected as many of their albums as I could, studied every dust jacket, and new the words to every song.

I quickly attached to White for because of his writing, leadership and the inspirational and spiritual message that lived in every note.

They also made an amazing connection with the music of the African diaspora, not many of us new what a kalimba was before them, but we are now will well aware of its awesome sounds, and African roots.

I cried, wished I was making love, and made love countless times to Reasons, and other well crafted, and sung ballads.

That’s the Way of World, Spirit, Head to the Sky, and See the Light still fill me with amazing spirit and hope for a brighter world and future.

 

I danced to Let’s Groove, Boogie Wonderland, Getaway, and Shining Star. I even remember creating a dance performance with my brother and neighbors whom I indoctrinated into the greatest of EWF.

I soaked in the lessons of how to love from All About Love, Love’s Holiday, You, Imagination, Can’t Hide Love, After the Love is Gone, and countless other songs.

White always emphasized inspiring versus entertaining, and yes EWF could create an amazing stage show, unfortunately I never saw them live, but I believe White and EWF’s greatest gift was inspiring the heart and souls of many across this planet. I was lucky enough as a kid to hear many stories from adults that did see them live and could attest first hand.

There reach into soul, R&B, jazz, funk, gospel, rock was amazing; while bridging African, Brazilian and Latin rhythms. A global ambassador before the world had started to see itself as one.

I remember fondly my “arguments” with a childhood friend about who was greater EWF or The Who, we would later concede both were great, but I know my insistent chants of the greatness of White and EWF would have never led him to discover the music, and the great bass guitar play of White’s brother Verdine.

I play the music now for my children, always reminding them of the greatness and the message. My friends and family the last few years have had to listen to replays of See the Light over and over again, as my spiritual awakening allowed me to see that song and many others in a new space and light.

They started their performances with a spiritual prayer, an understanding of their spiritual connection and their connection to Africa. Very few musical artists in this time or any took the risk to truly embrace spirituality into their music while breaking barriers, it cost them fans when confusion of what they were “worshipping” was put in questions, but in the end they were only spreading love.

White spent his last years suffering from a horrific disease. It is hard to see someone who inspired so many with his huge spirit suffer for so long. I had tears in my eyes as I watched him struggle during EWF's Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame induction and other later performances. In the end, it is those with those powerful and indelible spirts that have the gentleness to face suffering with light.