Fred White, or Fred E. White, (born Frederick Eugene Adams; January 13, 1955 – January 1, 2023) was an American musician and songwriter. He was one of the early members of Earth, Wind & Fire and had previously played drums on Donny Hathaway‘s Live album.
Born in Chicago, Fred was the youngest of three sons of Edna (nee Parker) and Verdine Adams, a doctor and amateur saxophone player. Maurice White was Edna’s son from a previous marriage. Fred took up the drums aged nine, soon following his older brothers into the music industry.
Earth, Wind & Fire (EW&F or EWF) are an American band whose music spans the genres of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, Latin, and Afro pop. They are among the best-selling bands of all time, with sales of over 90 million records worldwide.
The band was the brainchild of Fred’s elder half-brother, Maurice White. Fred – who changed his surname to White, as did his bassist brother, Verdine Jr, to emphasise his fraternal relationship with Maurice – joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 1974, after the band’s breakthrough album – their fifth – Head to the Sky (1973).
A professional since the age of 15, Fred White, who was described as a ‘“musical prodigy” by Maurice White, had previously played on Donny Hathaway’s superlative Live album in 1972, and with the rock band Little Feat, appearing on their 1974 album “Feats Don’t Fail Me Now”.
Maurice, meanwhile, had had more than a decade’s experience as a drummer, both for Chess Records and the jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis, when he formed Earth, Wind & Fire in 1970, the name coming from his astrological chart. As singer, co-drummer, songwriter and producer, Maurice White was the boss, initially changing record labels and replacing members furiously, keeping only Verdine on bass.
Noting Fred’s ability to play across genres, Maurice invited him to join the band. With Ralph Johnson already on drums, and Maurice joining them behind his kit during both live performances and studio sessions, Earth, Wind & Fire were a formidable rhythmic outfit. After Fred joined, completing a lineup of eight musicians and a three-piece horn section, Maurice announced that he finally had the band he had always wanted.
As the youngest member of Earth, Wind & Fire, White was both its jester and troublemaker, his energy and arrogance firing up the band. He initially drummed alongside Johnson but, by 1977, insisted that he be the band’s sole drummer, so Johnson was shifted to percussion.
His headstrong behaviour would cause him to come into conflict with Maurice and tensions saw the bandleader announce a hiatus in 1984 and Fred was not invited to rejoin in 1987 when they reformed. After leaving Earth, Wind & Fire Fred White led a life outside the spotlight.
Earth, Wind & Fire has won 6 Grammys and four American Music Awards. Aswell as being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood’s Rockwalk, and also earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Earth, Wind & Fire has also received an ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, a BET Lifetime Achievement Award, a Soul Train Legend Award, a NARAS Signature Governor’s Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019.
Rolling Stone magazine has called them “innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing” and declared that the band “changed the sound of black pop”. VH1 described Earth, Wind & Fire as “one of the greatest bands”.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s songs have been covered by artists including Whitney Houston, D’Angelo, Donny Osmond, Patti LaBelle, Taylor Swift, Olly Murs, Wynonna Judd, Maxine Nightingale, Yolanda Adams, Ledisi, Miki Howard, Chicago, and Chaka Khan.
Earth, Wind & Fire has been sampled by artists such as Drake, A Tribe Called Quest, Missy Elliott, Public Enemy, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, the Fugees, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, Basement Jaxx, Björk, Diddy, The Roots, Will Smith, Nas, TLC, Common, Big Sean, Tupac Shakur and MC Lyte.
Earth, Wind & Fire consisting of Fred White along with half-brother Maurice White, brother Verdine White, and other members were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
Fred White died on January 1, 2023, at the age of 67
Check out Earth Wind and Fire on Amazon.
