Earth, Wind & Fire Drummer Fred White

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.