Earth, Wind & Fire Day: 10 Things We Can Learn From Maurice White and EWF

“Do you remember, the 21st night of September?”

That’s right, it’s September 21, “Earth, Wind & Fire Day” (yes, it’s an official day)!  And as far as I can tell, there is no other song in history whose lyrics were the determining factor in the selected date to commemorate the success, impact and legacy of a group. 

For the sake of those who don’t know me or have never read what I’ve had to say about them in social media over time, pay attention: 1978’s R&B hit “September” is my favorite song of all time, performed by my favorite group of all time, orchestrated by my all-time favorite artist, the late Maurice White (RIP).

But I’m not here to talk about my love for the song, the man or the group.  To commemorate this day, I’d like to share something different.  Things I’ve learned over the years, listening to his interviews, reading the biographies, studying the lyrics and following the evolution of their great work. 

And while I didn’t actually learn all of these points from EWF, I will say that they did put great emphasis on them.  Most, if not all, you should already know.  I just love the fact that these things have worked for them… …and hopefully for you as well.

Let’s get to it.  Shall we?

Earth, Wind & Fire Day: 10 Things We Can Learn From Maurice White and EWF

1.  Don’t be afraid to step out on faith.

Maurice realized early in life that his future belonged in music.  To learn all about his story, you’d be best off reading his autobiography, “My Life With Earth, Wind And Fire”.  But what I found interesting was that even in the comforts of membership as percussionist in the jazz combo The Ramsey Lewis Trio, he felt that he was suffocating his potential for so much more.  Bandleader Ramsey Lewis was shocked and angered at his departure, but Maurice held firm, going out on his own to create a concept and sound that had never been previously seen or heard before.

To me, that is everything that life and growth is about.  The world doesn’t lay a plan out for you that suits you.  In many cases, you have to step outside of your comfort zone and delve into the unknown.  Believe in what you want and do whatever it takes to make it happen.  Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

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2. Don’t abandon your dream. 

One of the funniest moments in his autobiography is when Maurice shares how he avoided reporting to Uncle Sam.  I won’t spoil it by telling what transpired, but if you get ahold of the book, it’s in Chapter 3: “I’ll Never Lose Chicago Blues”. There, it shares what outlandish thing he did to get his deferment. I know that doesn’t sit well with many, particularly those who served, but the entire episode had me cracking up. More important, it was a great illustration of how much he believed in his work and what he was willing to do to bring his dreams to fruition.

Like they sing in their song, Welcome: “Never give up on your dreams…”

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3.  Call on family.

Like many groups, Maurice brought his brother Verdine White in on bass guitar, then eventually his brother Fred White on percussion. 

My father once told me that no matter where you go, no one will love you as much as your family.  I wish I could say that is true for all families, but in mine, he was right.  Whether it’s for advice or assistance, I’ve found that my parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins have always had my best interest at heart and have always “had my back”.  Just look at the success of groups like The Jacksons, The BeeGees, Full Force, The Jets, The Gap Band, The Winans, The Osmonds, The Clarke Sisters, The Everly Brothers, The Braxtons, Wynonna & Naomi Judd and countless others.  Ask Sister Sledge and they’ll tell you, “We are family.  I got all my sisters and me…”

…and yes, he found a creative way to get Verdine out of the armed services as well. Once again, it’s in the book…

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4.  Learn your heritage.

I love the fact that Maurice was so adamant about unifying the band in their musical approach and sound that he made them all travel to Egypt. Some loved it, some didn’t. But it helped them understand what he had conceptualized.

In my humble opinion, our (African) heritage goes beyond Egypt. Especially considering that most all African Americans descend from residents of West Africa (the Slave Trade).

And he wasn’t just speaking to members of the African diaspora. EWF, in collaboration with R&B group The Boys told the world in the song Heritage from the 1990 album of the same title: “Your heritage. Be proud of who you are…”

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5.  Embrace your heritage.

It’s all over their music. The pride of self. The love of Africa and all it begat. The languages. The cultures. The traditions. The clothing. Their interludes bubble over with the unique sounds of various percussion instruments, especially the Kalimba. So much so that the infusion of African music with the various genres such as jazz, rock, disco, etc. created a sound that was previously unheard and quickly appreciated and popularized by mainstream musicians and listeners worldwide.

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6.  Dare to be different.

Earth, Wind & Fire made it a point to separate themselves from all other artists of the 70s and 80s in sound, lyrics, appearance and performance. It was a sizable risk in the 70s, during a time when deviating from the norm was not a consideration with bands hoping to achieve superstardom. Everyone seemed to mimic someone else before them or those currently on the charts. EWF stood out in all aspects of musicianship and in doing so, created a new fad that not only tempted others to duplicate, but served as inspiration for bands for many years to follow.

This helped me realize very young that I did not have to conform to the norm when it came to my approach in many endeavors. I particularly used this philosophy when I reached high school, which I will talk about in a blog next year during Teacher Appreciation Week.

I never wanted to be like anyone else. Setting myself apart helped me make a name for myself. It didn’t matter if I was loved or hated (though I much preferred the former). I only wanted to be known for being myself. Like I’ve said for many years, “I’m no better than the next man, nor am I any less. But you’ll definitely remember me…”

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7.  Don’t be afraid to evolve.

As with all music groups and artists, to keep still in a constantly changing world can often be a death knell. Just look at rap music. Over time, it transitioned from “who I am”, to “where I’m from”, to “how bad I am (look at my gold)”, to gangsta rap, to being the sex god, to- Well, you get where I’m coming from.

But sometimes, even if you change with the times, that can still prove fatal, as it did with EWF. If you noticed in 1983’s Powerlight album, EWF began phasing out their famous horns, leaning heavily on Larry Dunn’s synthesizers and the heavy thump on the bass drum’s 1 and 3. That electric sound began in the 1981 Raise! album with mega-hit, Let’s Groove. By the time they released the album Electric Universe, Maurice and the boys had completely abandoned their classic horn sound, using only the sounds of the synth to reflect the feel of the rapidly growing digital/computer era. Unfortunately, this proved to be their undoing, as the album was a complete flop among both critics and fans.

Although I loved the album, its poor reception and reviews led to a temporary break-up of the band. Still, I’m proud of their attempt to venture into an entirely new persona. What began as a careful transition through Powerlight ultimately failed as a long-term experiment. But I will never blame them for taking a huge chance with audiences, knowing that their past success resulted, in part, from the phenomenal sound of their horn section. And yes, you could feel the absence.

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8.  Give them more than they bargained for.

EWF often lost money during their tours, providing light shows and gimmicks that left their audiences wowed, begging for more. Utilizing the genius of magician Doug Henning, they treated audiences to feats of wonder with their pyramid illusion, the levitation of bassist Verdine while playing and other incredible sights.

As the years rolled by, they scaled down considerably in showmanship, but never once failed to give you anything and everything beyond what you expected.

This is something my father often emphasized, and I passed it down to my children. Just like daring to be different: “Always give them more than they expect. Show them a superior work ethic.”

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9.  Good health is a vital key to success.

Maurice shared in his book that he at one point changed the food that was made available during their tours, eliminating the junk in favor of more healthy options. He stressed that healthier living was a critical element of performance excellence. And he was right. They all noticed a significant boost in energy and stamina.

Nothing further need be said…

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10.  The show must go on.

Sadly, we lost the maestro, band creator and leader Maurice White to Parkinson’s Disease on February 24, 2016.

But that did not stop original members, Philip Bailey, Verdine White and Ralph Johnson from preserving his legacy.

Earth, Wind & Fire kept the dream alive and thankfully continues to record and perform to this very day, bringing their signature sound to newer generations.

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And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed what I had to share and maybe, just maybe, found some things you were reminded to revisit in your own lives.

If not, I hope you simply enjoyed the read.

Happy Earth, Wind & Fire Day! And to repeat my last point, remember that the show must go on…

Miss you Maurice.

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