In what’s becoming a far too regular occurrence lately, musicians took to social media to pay tribute to one of their own. This time it was in honor of Earth, Wind & Fire founder Maurice White, who died February 3, 2016, at 74, after having battled Parkinson’s Disease for years.
Verdine White (Maurice’s brother and fellow EW&F member, via Facebook):
My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep. While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes.
Yours Truly,
Verdine White
Earth, Wind & Fire (via Twitter):
Our brother Maurice White passed peacefully in his sleep this morning.
The light is he, shining on you and me. pic.twitter.com/ppWTHKUyG6
— Earth, Wind & Fire (@EarthWindFire) February 4, 2016
Lenny Kravitz (via Facebook): #MauriceWhite. King. Genius. Leader. Teacher. Producer. Arranger. Writer. Multi-instrumentalist. Motivator. Mystic. Through his music and artistic expression, he taught me a lifetime’s worth of knowledge. He is at the top of the list of all of the greatest masters. The music he left behind as Earth, Wind and Fire, mixed with his messages of love, will live on forever. #RIPMaurice #earthwindandfire Chicago (who toured with EW&F as recently as 2015, via Facebook): Mourning a legend. RIP Brother. #maurice #earthwindandfire Maurice White from Earth, Wind and Fire was a visionary and true brother of soul and love! R.I.P.… Jonathan Cain (@TheJonathanCain) Burton Cummings (of the Guess Who, via Facebook): Getting more and more absurd, the frequency of loss… EWF sold over 90 million albums…he sure left his mark… Rest Well, Man… MAURICE WHITE 1941-2016
Just heard about my old friend Maurice White’s passing, he used to play drums in one of my piano trios in Chicago… https://t.co/Q7YPUMoWcq — Jack DeJohnette (@DeJohnetteMusic) February 5, 2016
Foghat (via Facebook): Sad to hear about Maurice White. What incredible music from Earth, Wind & Fire. Our thoughts are with his family & friends.
Thank you Maurice White for creating some of the greatest soul funk and R&B music of all time. GRATITUDE. — Mark Ronson (@MarkRonson) February 5, 2016
Quincy Jones (@QuincyDJones): Thoughts & prayers with the family of our dear brother Maurice White. Your contributions to music will be kept in our hearts & souls 4ever.
Questlove (@questlove): Maurice was everything…..Everything
Marc Cohn (Facebook): Maurice White RIP
The House band in heaven just (sadly) got bigger again.
Funkier too though.
Michael McDonald (Facebook): Maurice White was a rare and amazing talent who for decades would persevere in spite of incredible physical challenges to gift the rest of us with something remarkable.
Donny Osmond (Facebook): Besides Stevie Wonder, Maurice White has had more influence on me musically than anyone else. It’s with honor that I can say I had the opportunity to know him. He certainly made his mark in the music industry and we will miss him dearly. I’m sure that the heavens are rejoicing and groovin’ with him there. He certainly was and always will be a “Shining Star”. #MauriceWhite #earthwindandfire
