Earth, Wind & Fire was formerly a Rhythm & Blues band that eventually fused other genres into their repertory, including gospel, soul, jazz, funk, and disco music, genre in which the band placed numerous top ten hits on the worldwide charts.
Maurice White, leader of the band who was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but moved to Chicago when he was only a teen, formed Earth, Wind & Fire in 1969 in Chicago, Illinois.
Previously to Earth, Wind & Fire, he worked at Chess Records as a session drummer, and playing the Ramsey Lewis Trio. White also formed his own band, the "Salty Peppers" and signed to Capitol Records releasing a couple of singles before the band changed their name to Earth, Wind & Fire after the three predominant elements on White's astrological sign chart.
By the time, Maurice White decided to relocate to Los Angeles, California taking with him the whole band, including his brother Verdine White, Don Whitehead, Wade Flemons, Michael Beal, Chet Washington, Alex Thomas, Yackov Ben Israel, and female singer Sherry Scott.
With this lineup, Earth, Wind & Fire signed to Warner Bros. Records and released their self-titled debut album in 1970, followed by "The Need of Love" one year later. Both of these albums considered too ambitious and obviously none of them obtained commercial success, but they continued playing at high-profile gigs and college campuses.
However, Maurice White dissolved the former band in 1972, and along with his brother rebuilt a new Earth, Wind & Fire with vocalist Jessica Cleaves, Ronnie Laws, Roland Bautista, Ralph Johnson, Larry Dunn, and Philip Bailey.
Earth, Wind, & Fire then opened the tour for John Sebastian in New York and were signed to CBS records. The band's CBS debut album ""Last Days and Time" was eclipsed with new lineup changes but it was the records label which produced some of their greatest top ten hits starting from the mid-1970s.
From 1970 to 2005, Earth, Wind & Fire has released 20 studio albums, which produced major international hits such as "Boogie Wonderland", “Fantasy", "September" and “After The Love Has Gone" among many others.
In April 2007, Earth, Wind, & Fire participated in American Idol's playing a hit medley at its special edition "Idol Gives Back".
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