Book Read Free

My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire

Page 38

by Maurice White


  McCartney, Paul, 239, 311

  McCoys, 66

  McDonald, Clarence, 198, 218

  McGraw, John, 213, 234

  MC Hammer, 330

  McIan, Peter, 300

  McKay, Albert Philip, 122–26, 128, 139, 150, 160, 166, 172–73, 192, 195, 198, 201, 218, 232, 246, 248, 257–58, 277, 280–84, 310–12, 320, 348

  McKinley, Fred, 270

  McMahon, Gerard, 300

  McNally, Larry John, 300

  McNichol, Kristy and Jimmy, 260–61

  Memphis Commercial Appeal, 21

  Mendes, Sérgio, 51

  Mercury Records, 198

  Meyers, Bill, 287, 289, 320, 352

  Midnight Special, The (TV show), 181

  “Mighty Mighty,” 84, 130, 148, 181, 349

  Miles, Buddy, 92

  Millennium, 36, 333, 337–39

  Mills Brothers, 17

  Miner, Raynard, 47, 54

  Mitchell, Joni, 337

  Modern Jazz Quartet, 51

  “Moment of Truth,” 94

  Monk, Thelonious, 24

  “Monkey Time,” 52

  Moonglows, 52

  “Morning Has Broken,” 128

  Motown, 45–47, 54, 90, 116, 123, 149

  “Move On Up a Little Higher,” 8

  Movie Album, The, 66

  MTV, 292–94, 304, 315, 332

  Muscular Dystrophy Association, 261

  Music for UNICEF Concert, The (TV special), 261

  music industry

  decline of, 274–79, 298–300, 304, 311, 327, 333–34

  payola and, 100, 274

  racial divide in, 149, 248–49, 292–97, 319, 328–30

  royalties and, 49

  “My Funny Valentine,” 55

  “My Love,” 286

  Myrick, Don, 34, 38, 78, 161, 181–82, 191–92, 257, 288, 338

  NAACP, 280

  Hall of Fame Image Award, 347

  Nagaoka, Shusei, 228–29

  Nascimento, Milton, 222, 254

  Nash, Johnny, 118

  Natalie Cole Special (TV show), 240

  Need of Love, The, 99–100

  New Birth, 76, 124

  Newton, Huey, 94

  Newton-John, Olivia, 237, 261

  new wave, 302, 304

  Niggaz4Life, 327

  “1999,” 315

  1999, 315–16

  Nirvana, 327

  Nixon, Richard, 75, 116

  Nobel Peace Prize Concert, 352

  Noble, Ray, 37

  N.W.A., 327

  Obama, Barack, 352–53

  Off the Wall, 293

  Ohio Players, 76, 211

  Okeh Records, 53

  Olympics (Winter, 2002), 352

  “On Your Face,” 209–10, 349

  Open Our Eyes, 28, 138–42, 148–49, 204

  “Open Our Eyes,” 141–42, 156, 349, 358

  Operation Breadbasket Orchestra and Choir, 71–72

  Orefice, Marilyn, 90–91, 103, 119, 242–43, 245, 269, 321

  Osborne, Jeffrey, 252, 315

  Ostin, Mo, 337

  Otis, Johnny, 17

  “Owner of a Lonely Heart,” 302

  Page, Martin, 254, 303, 314, 316–17

  Panasonic, 278–79

  Parker, Charlie, 37, 75

  Parks, Bert, 163

  Parliament-Funkadelic, 211, 327

  Pate, Johnny, 53, 54

  Patillo, Leon, 188

  “People Get Ready,” 54

  People magazine, 211

  Peters, Jerry, 198, 201–2, 246, 277, 300

  Peters, Michael, 323

  Peterson, Oscar, 70

  Pharaohs, 182

  Phenix Horns, 34, 181, 192, 288–89, 307

  Philadelphia International Records, 118

  Pieces of a Dream, 320

  Pink Floyd, 311, 318

  Pittman, Bob, 293

  Platters, 52

  Playing Near the Edge, 300

  Pockets, 236, 300–301, 311

  pop, 219, 248–49, 251, 284, 294, 302–3, 359

  Porcaro, Jeff, 225

  Porter, David, 14–17, 19, 26–27, 40, 83, 118, 122, 156

  Porter Junior High School (Memphis), 17

  “Power,” 119–20

  Powerlight, 293, 297–98, 304–5, 333

  Premier Talent, 180

  Presley, Elvis, 123

  Prince, 76, 219–20, 260, 290, 310, 315–16, 327, 331, 337

  Prophet, The (Gibran), 5, 65, 122, 324

  Purple Rain, 316

  “Pushover,” 51

  Pythagoras, 269

  Q-Feel, 303

  Quartet 4, 51–52, 66

  racism, 11, 23, 27, 49, 68–69, 148, 292–94

  radio, 24, 90, 279, 280

  Raiders of the Lost Ark (film), 296

  Raise!, 284, 286–87, 293, 296–97, 306, 313, 333

  Ramsey Lewis Trio, 60–70, 74, 80–83, 354, 359. See also Lewis, Ramsey

  “Rappers Delight,” 275

  “Rapture,” 293

  Rare Earth, 154

  RCA Records, 52, 93–94

  Reagan, Ronald, 280, 297, 303

  “Real Thing, The,” 302

  “Reasons,” 168–69, 173, 190–92, 240, 333, 338

  Reichenbach, Bill, 288

  Rejoice, 217–21

  “Remember the Time,” 55

  “Rescue Me,” 54

  “Respect Yourself,” 116

  Reverend Ike, 88

  Reynolds, Sheldon, 321, 340

  rhythm and blues (R&B), 47, 55–56, 219, 249, 251, 284, 287, 294, 302–4, 359

  Richards, Keith, 293, 311

  Richie, Lionel, 290, 315, 332

  Riddle, Nelson, 297

  Ripperton, Minnie, 138

  Ritenour, Lee, 293

  Roach, Max, 25, 70

  Robinson, Edna, 9–10

  Robinson, Elvira (stepmother) “Mama,” 6–9, 13–14, 16, 21–22, 24, 27–28, 63–64, 103, 142, 223, 255, 296, 353–54

  Robinson, Jackie, 25

  Robinson, Smokey, 47, 255

  Robinson, Tuck, 9

  rock, 130, 248, 251

  Rock & Rule (animated film), 297

  rockabilly, 23

  rock-and-roll, 17, 23

  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1–2, 347–48

  “Rock of Ages,” 8

  Rockwell, Norman, 80

  Rogers, D. J., 198, 245–46, 300

  Rolling Stones, 134, 180, 260, 297, 311

  Ronstadt, Linda, 297

  Roots (TV miniseries), 301

  Rose Hill Baptist Church (Memphis), 9, 15, 74, 142, 351, 354

  Rotary Connection, 138

  Roundtree, Richard, 93

  Rubber Soul, 47

  Ruffalo, Joe, 180, 224, 308–10, 315

  Rumors, 279

  “Runnin’,” 225, 260

  Rush, 318

  Russell, Bill, 93

  Russell, Brenda, 277

  Saggifire Music, 178

  Salongo, 198

  Salty Peppers, 79

  Sam & Dave, 40

  Sanders, Pharoah, 128

  Santana, 117, 119, 149–50, 184–90, 192

  Santana, Carlos, 128, 184–85

  Satterfield, Louis, 34, 38–39, 45, 48, 52, 56, 71, 78, 181–82, 186, 288, 351–52

  Saturday Night Fever (sound track), 237

  “Saturday Nite,” 210, 240, 349

  “Save the Best for Last,” 338

  “Say It Loud—I’m Black and I’m Proud,” 75

  Scarborough, Skip, 116, 193, 216–18, 252

  Scheidbach, Frank, 152, 170–71, 185, 211–13, 233–34, 241

  Schultz, Michael, 239, 292

  Scott, Sherry, 87, 99, 102, 133

  Seale, Bobby, 94

  Seals and Crofts, 154

  Sebastian, John, 114

  Secret Life of Plants, 279

  “Secret Love,” 55

  Seeff, Norman, 177

  Seeger, Pete, 116

  “See the Light,” 166, 17
3, 349, 354

  “September,” 123, 246–48, 252, 260–61, 273, 292

  “Serpentine Fire,” 228, 240, 253, 259–60, 279, 292, 349

  Serrano, Paul, 52, 160, 203, 258

  Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (film), 237–40, 262

  Shaft (film), 110

  Shann, Richard, 24–25, 222

  “Share Your Love,” 279, 349

  “She Blinded Me with Science,” 302

  “Shining Star,” 130, 166–67, 172–73, 181–82, 194, 199, 214, 287, 347, 349

  Shirelles, 30

  “Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss), The,” 43

  Shore, Sig, 163, 171

  Shorter, Wayne, 300

  “Silly,” 198

  Simon, Paul, 249

  Simpson, Valerie, 237

  Sims, Gerald, 45, 52

  “Sing a Song,” 192–94, 199, 246, 349

  Sisto, Dick, 51

  “Sittin’ in the Park,” 55

  Sixteenth Street Baptist Church (Birmingham), 42

  Skin Game (film), 95

  Sky Island, 331

  Slaughter, Jim, 52–53

  Sly and the Family Stone, 75–76, 89, 120, 150, 154–55, 172, 187. See also Stone, Sly

  Smith, Carl, 54

  Smith, Joe, 94, 114

  Smith, Leonard “Bafa,” 101, 111–13, 120, 126, 133, 155, 170–71, 179, 243, 262, 281, 295

  Smith, Tyrone, 19

  Smith, Will, 298

  “Soft and Wet,” 220

  Song Bird, 221

  Songs in the Key of Life, 211, 279

  Songwriters Hall of Fame, 337

  Sony Music Entertainment, 321

  soul, ix, 23, 47, 55–56, 82–83, 106, 123, 130, 132, 138, 149, 182, 204, 228, 248, 359

  Soul! (TV show), 127–28, 134

  “Soul Man,” 40

  Soul Train (TV show), 309, 329

  “Sound of the Genuine, The” (Thurman), 80

  Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), 71

  Spaniels, 19, 42

  “Spasmodic Movements,” 140

  spectrum music, 248, 251

  Spielberg, Steven, 226

  Spinners, 231

  Spirit, 136, 199–205, 209–14, 230, 357–58

  “Spirit,” 202–3

  Springsteen, Bruce, 275

  “Stand by Me,” 317–19

  Standing in the Light, 312

  Staples, Mavis, 219

  Staple Singers, 116

  “Star,” 260

  Starr, Ringo, 119

  Stax Records, 40, 98, 118, 123

  “Stay in My Corner,” 71

  Steele, Jevetta, 331

  Steely Dan, 318, 337

  Stepney, Charles, 137–41, 164–65, 172, 175, 192–98, 200–205, 209, 214, 252, 254, 258

  Stepney, Rubie, 201–3

  “Steppin’ Out,” 302

  Stevens, Cat, 128

  Stewart, Billy, 54–55

  Stewart, Rod, 153, 187, 236, 260–62

  Stigwood, Robert, 237, 262

  Stone, Sly, 75–76, 80, 105, 123, 149, 155, 214, 327

  Stovall Sisters, 105

  “Straight from the Heart,” 333

  Streisand, Barbra, 313–15

  Strength to Love (King), 163

  Strode, Muriel, 87

  Stylistics, 106

  Styx, 236

  Sufi Message, The (Inayat Khan), 143

  Summer, Donna, 228, 261

  “Summertime,” 55

  “Sunday Morning,” 338

  “Sun Goddess” 161–62, 165, 182, 198, 338

  Sun Goddess, 161–62

  “Sunshine,” 192

  Super Bowl (2005), 352

  Super Fly (sound track), 52, 163

  “Superfreak,” 292

  Sweet Sweetback’s Baadassss Song (film), 97

  “System of Survival,” 322, 330

  “Take It to the Sky,” 42, 349

  Talking Heads, 337

  Tamburro, Joe, 133

  tango, 228

  Taoism, 74, 78, 143

  Tapestry, 90

  Taylor, Bernard “Beloyd,” 198, 200, 254, 284–86, 289, 300

  Taylor, James, 128, 249, 275, 337

  Temple, Herb, 70

  Temptations, 76, 106, 231, 312

  Terry, Bill, 51, 66

  Tex, Joe, 55

  “That’s the Way of the World,” ix, 138, 174–75, 203, 240, 261, 349

  That’s the Way of the World (sound track and film), ix, 16, 163–69, 171–77, 181–83, 191–92, 199–200, 204, 211–12, 221, 354

  “Things Can Only Get Better,” 302

  This Is Niecy, 197

  “This World Is a Masquerade,” ix, 147

  “This World Today,” 94

  Thomas, Alex, 92

  Thomas, Rufus, 24

  Thompkins, Russell, Jr., 106

  Thompson, Sonny, 45

  Thriller, 293, 323

  Thurman, Howard, 80

  Till, Emmet, 69

  “Time Machine,” 314

  Today Show (TV show), 182, 330

  “Too Much Heaven,” 237

  “Tossin’ and Turnin’,” 30

  Toto, 225

  Touch the World, 320–23, 333

  “Touch the World,” 321–22, 349

  Tower of Babel, 163

  Trammps, 258

  Travolta, John, 237

  “Treat Her Like a Lady,” 312

  Truly for You, 312

  Tubes, 297

  Turner, Big Joe, 19

  “Turn It into Something Good,” 123, 279, 347, 349

  “Turn Your Love Around,” 302

  Tusk, 279

  20/20 (TV show), 278–79

  “Twist,” 26

  Tyner, McCoy, 183

  Unbelievable, 55

  UNICEF, 261–62

  Unity of Religious Ideals, The (Inayat Khan), 143

  Universal Recording, 52, 78

  Upchurch, Phil, 78

  Up Pops Ramsey, 72

  Urban Knights, 331

  Urban Knights II, 331

  Uriah Heep, 133–34, 187

  USA Today, 350

  Vandross, Luther, 316

  Vannelli, Ross, 277

  Van Peebles, Melvin, 97–98

  Vaughan, Sarah, 37

  Vaughn, Carla, 262

  Vaughn, Wayne, 254, 286–87, 298

  Vee-Jay Records, 42–43, 80, 299

  Video Soul (TV show), 292

  Vietnam War, 43, 70, 75, 98, 116

  Village People, 228

  Voice of the Master, The (Gibran), 65

  Wade, Theo, 24

  Wade in the Water, 64, 66

  “Wade in the Water,” 64, 359

  Wainwright, Loudon, 118

  “Wait,” 260

  Walsh, Brock, 338

  “Wanna Be with You,” 286–87

  “Want Ads,” 269

  War, 76, 107, 155–56, 211

  Warner Bros., 93–100, 104–6, 109–11, 114, 116–18, 129, 219–20, 331, 337–38

  Warren, Ellene, 243, 336

  Washington, Booker T., 292

  Washington, Chester “Chet,” 92

  Washington, Grover, Jr., 331

  Washington, Tom “Tom-Tom,” 38, 201, 248, 254, 258, 289

  Waters, Muddy, 209, 358

  Waters, Roger, 311

  Wattstax (concert and film), 123

  WDAS (radio station), 108, 133

  WDIA (radio station), 24

  Weather Report, 88, 128, 184, 245, 300

  Weathers, Barbara, 331

  Weeks, Willie, 154

  Weisner, Ron, 323

  Wells, Reverend Oliver, 321

  “We’ll Understand It Better By and By,” 8

  “We’re Living in Our Own Time,” 333

  What’s Going On, 116, 165

  WHBQ (radio station), 24

  “When I Dream,” 314

  “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?,” 116

  White, Eden (son), 336–37

  Wh
ite, Fred Adams (brother), 56–58, 78–79, 150–52, 154, 172, 186–87, 221, 252–53, 269, 290–91, 321, 348

  White, Geri Adams (sister), 15, 178–79, 269

  White, Hemeya “Mimi” (daughter), 158, 176, 245, 336

  White, John (birth father), 5–6

  White, Kahbran (son), 245, 269, 321, 336

  White, Maurice. See also Earth, Wind & Fire; and specific songs and albums

  ARC and, 245–48, 298–302, 305

  astrology and, 65, 74, 76–78, 143

  bicycle from “Dad” and, 15, 33, 73

  birth of daughter Hemeya “Mimi,” 158, 245

  birth of son Eden, 336

  birth of son Kahbran, 245

  brother Fred and, 56–58, 290

  brother Verdine and, 320, 322

  business restructuring and, 178–79, 194

  Carmel compound and, 221, 245, 262, 269, 296, 320–21

  Chess Records and, 45–50, 52, 54–57

  childhood in Memphis and, 5–17, 354

  childhood visits to Arkansas, 10–12

  childhood visit to Chicago, 15

  commercial ventures of, 59–60, 70–71

  death of, 357, 360

  death of Charles Stepney and, 201–5, 209

  death of “Dad” (Dr. Verdine Adams) and, 351

  death of Don Myrick and, 338

  death of Louis Satterfield and, 351–52

  death of “Mama” (Elvira Robinson) and, 28

  death of “Mother Dear” (Edna Parker Adams) and, 262, 269–72, 275–76

  decides to pursue music career, 35–38

  diet and health and, 65–66, 75, 90, 113, 131, 211–12, 221

  Down Homers and, 71

  draft and, 43–44

  drumming and, 17–20, 22, 25, 33, 47–48, 70

  early gigs and, 20–22, 38–43, 51

  early love of music and, 8–9, 14–26

  early paper delivery job, 21–22

  education of, as youth, 17–19

  education of, at Chicago Conservatory of Music, 52–53

  education of, at Crane Junior College, 33, 37–38

  EW&F comeback and, 320–23

  EW&F created by, 80–84, 87–101

  EW&F disbanded by, 307–12

  EW&F early split and, 102–3

  EW&F relaunched by, 103–21

  EW&F White House performances and, 352–53

  failures of early 1980s and, 305

  family and, 73, 270–72

  fatherhood and, 158–59, 336–37

  finances and, 323, 333–35

  fires Al McKay, 281–84

  friendship with Booker T. Jones, 18–19, 24–27, 29

  Hollywood Bowl appearance and, 355–56

  Hollywood fame game and, 331–32

  Hot Feet show and, 352

  identity and, 350–51

  influences on, 25–26, 34–36, 75–76

  Jazzmen and, 38

  last performance with EW&F at Grammy Awards, 352

  leadership style of, 102–3, 252–56, 277, 281, 306–8, 311

 

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