Earth, Wind, and Fire drummer Fred White dead at 67
Fred White, the drummer who played with R&B legends Earth, Wind and Fire throughout their most successful run during the late 1970s and early 1980s, has died at the age of 67.
“Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene “Freddie” White,” White’s brother and former bandmate Verdine White shared on Instagram. “He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!”
As a teenager, White befriended soul singer Donny Hathaway and became his touring drummer. White performed on Hathaway’s landmark 1972 LP Live and his 1973 studio follow-up Extensions of a Man. By then, Hathaway’s struggles with mental health issues plagued his music career, causing White to seek other musicians to play with.
After a brief period of session work, including recording the initial demo for Linda Ronstadt’s ‘You’re No Good’ and appearing on the studio version of Little Feat’s ‘Spanish Moon’, White joined his brothers Verdine and Maurice in Earth, Wind, and Fire. The band had already released five studio albums before Fred joined, but almost immediately upon his arrival, Earth, Wind, and Fire experienced a major period of mainstream pop success.
Nearly all of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s classic songs, from ‘Shining Star’ and ‘September’ to ‘Boogie Wonderland’ and ‘Let’s Groove’, feature White’s drumming. 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.
1983’s Electric Universe became the final album to feature Fred White on drums. After Maurice White put the band on hiatus in 1984, Fred left the band and did not return. White was among the members of the band inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. White continued to appear on records, including his appearance as a songwriter, producer, and backing vocalist on Diana Ross’s 2021 album Thank You.
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