My life with Earth, Wind & Fire [large print] / Maurice White with Herb Powell.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

"To the readers of this book you need to know that EW&F is simply the greatest living group in my lifetime. No one put together lyrics to a melody like they did; no one put harmony to sound and rhythm like they did; no one added horns in the way that they did and no one, but no one messed with our minds about love and life like they did. . . . EARTH because they grow on you; WIND because it moves you in one loving direction and FIRE because they consume your heart in a single flame of love."--Steve Harvey



With its dynamic horns, contrasting vocals, and vivid stage shows, Earth, Wind & Fire was one of the most popular acts of the late twentieth century--the band "that changed the sound of black pop" (Rolling Stone)--and its music continues to inspire modern artists including Usher, Jay-Z, Cee-Lo Green, and Outkast. At last, the band's founder, Maurice White, shares the story of his success.



Now in his seventies, White reflects on the great blessings music has brought to his life and the struggles he's endured: his mother leaving him behind in Memphis when he was four; learning to play the drums with Booker T. Jones; moving to Chicago at eighteen and later Los Angeles after leaving the Ramsey Lewis Trio; forming EWF, only to have the original group fall apart; working with Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond; his diagnosis of Parkinson's; and his final public performance with the group at the 2006 Grammy Awards. Through it all, White credits his faith for his amazing success and guidance in overcoming his many challenges.



Keep Your Head to the Sky is an intimate, moving, and beautiful memoir from a man whose creativity and determination carried him to great success, and whose faith enabled him to savor every moment.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

The influence of Earth, Wind and Fire (EWF), one of the all-time best-selling musical groups, was mighty. Called out by Miles Davis as his "all-time favorite band" and covered by a diverse roster of artists that includes Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Wynonna Judd, Donny Osmond, and the Vienna Boys' Choir, EWF (still touring in 2016) have spent decades entertaining listeners and impressing their peers. White founded the band in 1971 and remained a force in their music until his death from Parkinson's disease earlier this year. From his childhood in Memphis to the Chicago Conservatory of Music, a mid-1960s stint as a session drummer for Chess Records, touring with Ramsey Lewis, and a key move to Los Angeles, the book follows the vision and journey of a talented, driven, clever, and grateful musical director and collaborator. There's a lot of success in this story, but White doesn't shy away from detailing the struggles and frustrations. Throughout, he remains philosophical and upbeat; this is, ultimately, a tale of triumph from a musical insider who shaped popular music. Verdict This first-person account of the making of some of the most radio-friendly music of the 1970s and 1980s will appeal to fans of the many genres encompassed under the EWF umbrella.-Bill Baars, Lake Oswego P.L., OR © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

In this powerful and substantial memoir, White (who died in February 2016), the creative force behind Earth, Wind & Fire, shares the belief-in God, in himself, in the power of music-that helped him overcome an underprivileged childhood and institutional racism to create phenomenal, self-driven success. White keeps his personal life closely guarded, but he addresses his failures with self-deprecating honesty. The book is more than a chronological tale of a career; it's a quest for meaning. White does stray into some repetitive territory during the second half, but this reflects his dogged, focused personality. It is only through pushing himself to work hard in the face of disappointment and to remain positive and avoid the pitfalls of drugs that White can steer Earth, Wind & Fire to become the musical force it remains to this day. White's life and music orbit themes of social justice, spirituality, and self-reliance. White writes strongly about the nature of black masculinity during and after the civil rights movement, and what it means to be a good man. Diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the 1990s, White showed dramatic grace in his acceptance of decline and loss. The memoir captures a life of determination, positivity, and success tempered by depth and humility. Agent: Faith Childs, Faith Childs Literary. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.