Fred White, the previous drummer of Earth, Wind & Fireplace, has died. He was 67.
The percussionist’s brother and bandmate Verdine White shared the unhappy information by social media on Sunday (Jan. 1). Neither the date nor the reason for White’s loss of life had been disclosed at press time.
“Our household is saddened at this time with the lack of a tremendous and proficient member of the family. Our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddie’ White,” Verdine White wrote on Instagram alongside photographs of his brother.
“He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte, and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!” he added. “He was the fantastic bro that was all the time entertaining and delightfully mischievous! And we might all the time rely on him to make a seemingly dangerous state of affairs extra light-hearted.”
Fred White was born on Jan. 13, 1955 in Chicago. He started drumming on the age of 9 and later carried out with Linda Ronstadt and Donny Hathaway earlier than becoming a member of Earth, Wind & Fireplace in 1974. He was the fourth of the White brothers to carry out within the Grammy-winning R&B band.
White sat behind the package for a few of Earth, Wind & Fireplace’s most profitable songs, together with “Shining Star,” which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Scorching 100 in Could 1975. He additionally scored prime 10 hits with “Let’s Groove,” “September,” “Sing a Tune,” “After the Love Has Gone,” “Boogie Wonderland” and others.
White left Earth, Wind & Fireplace within the mid-Nineteen Eighties, however he returned for the band’s Rock & Roll Corridor of Fame induction in 2000.
Throughout his profession, White additionally lent his drumming skills to recordings for Bonnie Raitt, Little Feat, Deniece Williams, the Feelings, Ramsey Lewis, Jennifer Holliday, and Diana Ross. Most not too long ago, he collaborated with Ross on her 2021 album, Thank You.
Verdine White’s tribute submit drew a slew of responses from fellow musicians, together with Questlove, Lenny Kravitz and Nile Rodgers.
“Sending my love and deepest condolences to you and the household,” Kravitz commented. “I used to be blessed to have been in his presence and blessed to have been influenced by him. A real king. Relaxation in energy.
See Verdine White’s tribute to his brother Fred on Instagram right here.
This story first appeared on Billboard.com.
