Fred White, Drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire, Dead at 67
Photo by Rob Verhorst
Fred White, a percussion prodigy and the drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire, who propelled some of the funkiest songs in history, died Sunday. He was 67.
White’s death was announced on Instagram by his older brother Verdine White, the iconic group’s bassist. The announcement did not say the cause of death or the location.
“Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member,” Verdine White wrote. “Our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddie’ White. He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels.” He went on to add, “He will live in our hearts forever, rest in power beloved Freddie!! We thank you all for your love, blessings and support at this time. Soar high baby bro, we love you to the shinin.”
Fred White joined Earth, Wind & Fire during the mid-1970s and remained with the group through the early 1980s, where some of their most loved and successful songs were written and produced, including the seminal “September,” “Shining Star,” “Boogie Wonderland” and “Let’s Groove.” The ensemble, which eventually had over 20 members, was founded by Fred and Verdine’s half-brother, Maurice White, who would describe the group in his 2016 memoir My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire as “a band of drummers.” Maurice was a drummer as well, and it was not uncommon for all four percussionists to play during Earth, Wind & Fire shows at a time. For two years, Fred White and Ralph Johnson performed onstage with their own full kits.
Maurice added said of Fred in his memoir: “Fred was the brick wall. “He provided a rock-solid tempo and a rock-solid feel, priceless qualities in a drummer. He was one of the best things going for us.”
Frederick Eugene Adams was born on Jan. 13, 1955, in Chicago. His mother, Edna (Parker) White, was a homemaker and his father, Verdine Sr., was a podiatrist. He took up the drums at 9 and, like his brother Verdine Jr., changed his last name to White so it would be known he was related to his brother Maurice. By the time he was 13, he was playing gigs in the city and in a year, he was performing at nightclubs. At 15, he played blues with Donny Hathaway while he was still in school. He would go on to tour with Little Feat for a time before his older brothers Maurice and Verdine decided he had the skill to join Earth, Wind & Fire while he was still a teenager in 1974, just before they shot to superstardom through That’s the Way of the World one year later.
Fred would go on to play on eight of the band’s albums, from the aforementioned That’s the Way of the World to 1983’s Electric Wonderland. Though the band had many different musicians join during their decades of playing, Fred was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as one of the original nine members in 2000 and is credited with creating the foundation that allowed the group to sell over 90 million records.
In addition to Verdine, Fred White is survived by his sister, Geri. Maurice White died in 2016 at 74. A complete list of survivors was not immediately available.
See the post announcing Fred White’s death below.
