Maurice White from Earth, Wind & Fire performs live on stage in New York in 1979. -- Maurice White, co-founder of the pioneering funk-soul band Earth, Wind & Fire, died Wednesday at the age of 74 His brother Verdine White identified him as a founding member of the band “with gold records at the young age of 16”. Drummer Fred White of Earth, Wind & Fire, seen here performing on stage in Andrew Woolfolk of Earth, Wind & Fire photographed on Feb. 3, 1978. Michael Putland/GI. Andrew Woolfolk, longtime Earth, Wind & Fire saxophonist, has died. He was 71 years old. The instrumentalist Just like White, many Earth, Wind & Fire members dabbled in solo albums between 1983 and 1987. White released his solo album titled simply "Maurice White" (via the EWF website). Philip Bailey, on the other hand, released several successful albums during the EWF hiatus, per Discogs. His debut album was titled "Continuation" and came out the same The three original members - Bailey, White and Ralph Johnson -- have been together 41 years. Earth, Wind & Fire was the brainchild of jazz drummer Maurice White, who founded the band in the It was Bailey who invited Woolfolk to join Earth, Wind & Fire in 1973. Woolfolk played saxophone, flute and percussion for the cross-genre band during its golden age, lending his musical talents Foster was a major contributor to the 1979 Earth, Wind & Fire album I Am, as a studio player and arranger. He was a co-writer on six of the album's tracks, such as "After the Love Has Gone", for which he and his co-writers, Graydon and Bill Champlin, won the 1980 Grammy Award for Best R&B Song. 1981–1999 The Music of Chicago and Earth Wind & Fire Bill Champlin Two-time GRAMMY® award winner Bill Champlin formed his first band in 1961 and the Sons of Champlin in 1965. 1977, Bill moved to Los Angeles where he worked with many artists including, Elton John, Neil Diamond, and Kenny Rodgers. 1979 he won his first Grammy award for co-writing "After 8wzC.