Earth, Wind & Fire to play Freeman Arts Pavilion Sept. 25
Freeman Arts Pavilion in Selbyville will present Earth, Wind & Fire in concert at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 25. To buy tickets, go to freemanarts.org.
Those who try to get Verdine White to wax nostalgic or talk about the legacy of Earth, Wind & Fire don’t get very far.
“We don’t do like that,” White said. “We just keep it moving. We’re very appreciative of the past, but we’re not looking back.”
That said, Earth, Wind & Fire can’t help but fill its shows with the songs that put the group in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, earned it a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and praise from the likes of the late Miles Davis, Quincy Jones and Alicia Keys, and influenced generations of artists, from Beyoncé and Justin Timberlake to Lion Babe’s Jillian Hervey.
Earth, Wind & Fire was founded by White’s older brother Maurice in 1970. By the mid-‘70s, Earth, Wind & Fire was one of the most popular bands in the world, riding a string of hits that ran from 1975’s No. 1 smash “Shining Star” through “Sing a Song,” “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.”
Four decades and 90 million albums sold later, EW&F is still going strong, playing music that still feels fresh and contemporary in widely praised shows around the globe.
“We have to thank my brother Maurice for that,” White said. “He was the originator, the creator of the band. He put something together that ended up being timeless. The music’s been everywhere. It’s part of the soundtrack of our lives, of multiple generations’ lives. We see it every night.”
That music, a mix of pop, funk, soul, R&B and rock with shades of jazz, Latin and Afro-pop, created a revolution in Black pop in the ‘70s and continues to reverberate through pop music today.
“It’s a fusion of styles. In the beginning, we actually did more jazz, then put in R&B, then pop, then rock. That came from Maurice. He was definitely the leader, putting it all together, made it really sound universal and unique at the same time,” said White.
While White wouldn’t commit to any specifics, he said it’s likely that Earth Wind & Fire will have a new album out sooner rather than later. It would be the group’s first since 2014’s “Holiday” and since Maurice White’s 2016 death. The only new music so far is a single, “You Want My Love,” released in August. Produced by Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, it features guest vocals from Lucky Daye.
Maurice had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease for several years before his passing and stopped touring with the band. But Verdine said he continued to have input into the music. Now, the remaining members of EW&F don’t have their founder to help create music, but White said Maurice provided the tools they need to carry on the group’s legacy.
“He trained us very well, so we’re very confident,” White said. “He was a great teacher. He was as cool as they come.”
On tour, the three original EW&F members – Verdine, who plays bass, drummer Ralph Johnson and singer Philip Bailey, source of the sky-piercing voice – are joined in the live shows by a three-man horn section, a bunch of percussionists/vocalists, a keyboard player, and a pair of guitarists.
And they deliver a tightly rehearsed, choreographed, musically impressive show, whether it’s to a few thousand in a small amphitheater or concert hall, or tens of thousands at festivals.
So, in the spirit of keeping moving, Verdine, what can those who come to see Earth, Wind & Fire expect?
“Tell ‘em they’re going to feel better after than they did coming in, and they might not be able to sleep that night,” he said. “We have to have an exciting show. The audience has to enjoy themselves. They will. It will be fun.”
