Earth, Wind & Fire is a band that has transcended musical genres, appealing to fans of jazz, R&B, soul, funk, disco, pop, EDM, Latin, and Afro-pop. The band has entertained audiences for decades with their catchy tunes and high-energy performances. The band was founded in Chicago in 1969 by Maurice White. When still in Chicago, the group named themselves “The Salty Peppers” and recorded two hit singles that did fairly well in the market. However, Maurice and his group left Chicago for Los Angeles after their second single, "Uh Huh Yeah” did not fare well enough. In Los Angeles, Maurice added to the band singer Sherry Scott and percussionist Yackov Ben Israel, both from Chicago. On June 6, 1970, Maurice’s younger brother, Verdine left Chicago to join the band as their new bassist. Maurice began shopping demo tapes of the band, featuring Donny Hathaway, around to different record labels. The band was eventually signed to the American film studio Warner Bros. Maurice later derived the current name “Earth, Wind & Fire” from his astrological sign, Sagittarius - with a primary elemental quality of fire and seasonal qualities of earth and air, according to classical triplicities. Sagittarius in the northern and the southern hemisphere occurs in the autumn (which element is earth) and the spring (which element is air), respectively. Maurice held additional auditions in Los Angeles, where he added Michael Beal on guitar, Chester Washington on reeds, and Leslie Drayton on trumpet. Chester Washington On reeds and Leslie Drayton on trumpet both served as the group's musical arranger. Alex Thomas completed the EWF lineup as a trombonist. American, Joe Wissert was also designated to be the group’s producer. The band finally rose to fame in the 1970s with hits like "Shining Star" and " September ." They released a self-titled debut album in February 1971 on Warner Bros. The album got to No. 24 on the Billboard Top Soul Albums chart and has been certified Gold in France by the SNEP They have won multiple Grammy Awards and have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame, and Hollywood's Rockwalk. The band also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Aside from receiving the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award, and the Soul Train Legend Award, the group earned for themselves distinct and rare recognition that includes the NARAS Signature Governor's Award, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2012 Congressional Horizon Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2019. The group's music has been used in a number of films and television shows, including "The Cosby Show," "That '70s Show," and "Parks and Recreation." They have also performed at a number of high-profile events, including the Super Bowl XL halftime show and the closing ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Rolling Stone praised the band's musical style as "innovative, precise yet sensual, calculated yet galvanizing," and called them "one of the greatest bands" ever. VH1 has similarly referred to EWF as "one of the finest groups" that ever existed. If you're a fan of good music, then you need to check out Earth, Wind & Fire. You're guaranteed to have a good time dancing and singing along to their hits!