Maurice White

Maurice White
White performing in 1982
Background information
Born(1941-12-19)December 19, 1941
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
OriginChicago, Illinois, U.S.
DiedFebruary 4, 2016(2016-02-04) (aged 74)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • musician
  • songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
Years active1962–2016
Labels
Websitemauricewhite.com

Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016) was an American musician, best known as the founder, leader, main songwriter and chief producer of the band Earth, Wind & Fire, also serving as the band's co-lead singer with Philip Bailey.

Described as a "visionary" by Vibe and a "mastermind" by Variety, White was nominated for a total of 22 Grammys, of which he won seven. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, and was also inducted individually into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. White also worked with musical acts such as Deniece Williams, Cher, The Emotions, Barbra Streisand, Ramsey Lewis, and Neil Diamond.