Earth, Wind and Fire drummer Fred White

The multiple Grammy award winning musician was a founding member of the band which enjoyed global success during the 1970s and '80s with several soul and ...

Fred White was already an accomplished drummer, playing for Donny Hathaway, before he joined his brother. Earth, Wind & Fire began in 1970 under the leadership of Maurice, who created a band that could combine elements of jazz, funk, R&B, soul, dance, pop and rock, and celebrated African musicianship and spiritualism. Frederick Eugene White was born in Chicago and joined Verdine and their brother Maurice in Earth, Wind & Fire in 1974.

Fred White, a drummer for classic '70s superband Earth, Wind & Fire, has died, according to an Instagram post from his older brother and former bandmate, ...

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Drummer Fred White, who backed up his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in the Grammy-winning ensemble Earth, Wind & Fire, has died. He was 67.

Other hits included “Serpentine Fire,” ″Shining Star” and a cover of the Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life.” Fred White was already an accomplished drummer, playing for Donny Hathaway, before he joined Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1970s. Driven by their horn section the Phenix Horns and a reputation for energetic and bombastic live performances, the group’s popularity grew after they moved to Columbia Records, which was then under the leadership of Clive Davis.

Fred White, who drummed on many of Earth, Wind & Fire's classic '70s and '80s singles, has died at 67.

"I was blessed to have been in his presence and blessed to have been influenced by him. "Sending my love and deepest condolences to you and the family," Lenny Kravitz wrote in the replies to Verdine's Instagram. Fred was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with EWF in 2000.

Fred White, the drummer who brought an immaculate groove to the biggest hits of Earth, Wind, and Fire, has passed away at the age of 67.

White was among the members of the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. White brought a groove to the band that helped them transition into a lighter and more disco-friendly sound during the height of their fame. As a teenager, White befriended soul singer Donny Hathaway and became his touring drummer.

The Chicago-born musician was part of the group's golden era, which included disco classics "September" and "Boogie Wonderland."

Read Verdine's post, and watch Earth, Wind & Fire performing "September" live in 1979. Although White left Earth, Wind & Fire in the early '80s, he'll nevertheless go down as one of the most sampled drummers of all time. A child drumming prodigy, Chicago-born White began touring with soul singer Donnie Hathaway in his mid-teens, before joining an early iteration of Earth, Wind & Fire known as The Salty Peppers.

Fred White was already an accomplished drummer, playing for Donny Hathaway, before he joined Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1970s.

Other hits included “Serpentine Fire,” ″Shining Star” and a cover of the Beatles’ “Got to Get You Into My Life.” Some of the band's biggest hits are still widely popular, often sampled and used in countless movies. Fred White was already an accomplished drummer, playing for Donny Hathaway, before he joined Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1970s.

Earth, Wind & Fire percussionist Fred White has died. He was 67. No cause of death has been made public, but fellow band member and broth...

White continued to work with other artists, singing with the likes of [Paying tribute](https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm5oE2GNNTK/)with a post of her own, fellow famed drummer [Sheila E.](https://exclaim.ca/artists/sheila_e)remembered White as "a mentor, an amazing drummer, and a man who had the biggest heart." [Lenny Kravitz](https://exclaim.ca/artists/lenny_kravitz)said, "Sending my love and deepest condolences to you and the family. "He joins our brothers Maurice [White], Monte [White] and Ronald [Bautista] in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!" 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "Shining Star," commencing their path to becoming pop's leaders of the disco era. Fred White was a drum prodigy who toured with Donny Hathaway before he had even completed high school.

Fred White, the drummer for celebrated funk band Earth, Wind & Fire, died Sunday at the age of 67. White's brother and the band's bassist — Verdine White ...

Fred is "now drumming with the angels," Verdine White wrote in his Instagram announcement. [Boogie Wonderland](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=god7hAPv8f0)" and " [September](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gs069dndIYk)." Maurice died in 2016 at the age of 74.

Drummer Fred White, who played alongside his brothers Maurice and Verdine White in the Grammy-winning ensemble Earth, Wind & Fire, has died. He was 67.

Other hits included Serpentine Fire, Shining Star and a cover of the Beatles' Got to Get You Into My Life. "But more than that at home and beyond he was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous! Fred White was already an accomplished drummer, playing for Donny Hathaway, before he joined Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1970s.

Percussionist Fred White, best known as the “Chicago Drum Prodigy” and member of the eclectic band Earth, Wind & Fire, has passed away.

So, it made sense that Fred joined the EWF fold to entertain the masses. He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte, and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!” And we could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more light-hearted.” Fans of the fusion-genre band know that Fred was in a league of his own during his time with the band from the mid-’70s to mid-‘80s. Fred was considered to be a child prodigy — according to Verdine — since he began flexing his skills on the drums at the tender age of 9. Fred White is considered to be one of the most talented percussionists in history.

Fred White, drummer of Earth, Wind & Fire, has died at age 67. The news was announced on Instagram by brother and fellow bandmate Verdine White on Sunday, ...

He provided the beats on unforgettable hits like “September,” “Let's Groove,” “Shining Star” and “Boogie Wonderland.”

[told](https://web.archive.org/web/20170729095734/https://www.moderndrummer.com/article/february-march-1982-triumvirate-earth-wind-fires-ralph-johnson-freddie-white-philip-bailey/) Modern Drummer magazine in 1982, and gained a sense of purpose from the drums. Fred was still a teenager. He was one of the best things going for us.” Johnson’s responsibilities to vocals and other percussion instruments, including the congas. Speaking to Modern Drummer, Fred White acknowledged that his early years sharing drumming duties with Mr. His father, Verdine Sr., was a podiatrist. Though the band’s music was recognizable for its joyous horn section and smooth vocals, Maurice, in his 2016 For two years, Fred White and Ralph Johnson both performed onstage with full drum kits. He shared a mother with Maurice, Edna (Parker) White, a homemaker. The announcement did not say where he died or give the cause. The songs’ first few bars alone have long been known to move people to the dance floor. “Fred was the brick wall,” Maurice White wrote in his memoir.