My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire audiobook

Maurice White: My Life with Earth, Wind and Fire is a 2016 Amistad publication. To be completely honest, I have no recollection of checking this book out of the library. I got a notification from my Overdrive library letting me know a book I had on hold was ready to be downloaded. To my surprise, this book, along with the one I had been expecting, was sitting in my queue. I almost returned it, but then decided it might be a good choice for my ‘Monday Musical Moments’ feature on my blog. ( http://www.the-bookreview.com)I’m very glad I decided to go ahead with this book, even if I had to work it into my tight reading schedule. In the beginning, the writing was a little rough, mainly because I felt like things were moving along at a breakneck speed, which left little room for an intimate look at Maurice, his music, his relationships, and so on. However, as the book progressed, the frenetic pacing did slow down a little and a rhythm developed. The more I discovered about Maurice, the more I started to like him.He was a smart, well read man, very spiritual, with an open mind, and was refreshingly honest about the way he lived his life. Despite his having glossed over large chunks of time, I could relate to White’s introverted nature, and could understand his mindset, and picked up on how uncomfortable he felt about divulging personal aspects his life. I always liked EW&F, but was more of a casual fan. While Maurice may have been the founder of the group, the person I always associated it with was Phillip Bailey. However, this book did remind me of just how many hits the group had, how influential they were, and what a huge impact they had on fans during some very turbulent times. Earth, Wind & Fire has been around for many years, and even today, they made an appearance on the 2018 Rose Bowl Parade, and I’ve had ‘September' in my head ever since. But, while the band is still out there doing their thing, sadly Maurice is no longer with us. His death, from Parkinson’s Disease in 2016, gives this book, which is a memoir/autobiography, a haunting tone. Overall, it is too bad the book wasn’t fleshed out just a bit more, but I still found it enlightening, interesting, and of course poignant. 4 stars

I will begin my review by admitting that I am about as biased as any reader can get. Earth Wind and Fire could not find a bigger fan than I am (maybe equal but not greater). Thanks to my late mother (the 2nd biggest fan), their music has been a part of the soundtrack of my life for 42 of the 47 years I've been on the planet. I don't remember a time when their music wasn't a part of my life. To this very minute, if you look at my Top 25 songs on my iPod, at least 10+ of those songs will be by Earth Wind and Fire. So, needless to say, I gobbled up this book. Read every word in two days. I wanted to find out more about the creative genius that helped create the group that would influence my musical tastes for as long as I can remember--and I got that and so much more. I was inspired, I was energized, I was educated...and I was INSPIRED (bears repeating). I enjoyed understanding the backstory, the relationships, and the spiritual and musical foundations. As a person, Maurice reminded me of myself in so many ways -- a driven introvert who gets lost in the creativity and art and is forced to deal with the business...but finds the balance, somehow. I loved every minute spent with this book and I cried like a baby at the end. Just because losing him feels like losing family and the hurt from his death, compounded by so many other greats this year, felt raw and fresh again. Even with that, I highly recommend this read for EWF fans everywhere.

A wonderful insight into the mind and life of Maurice White.I remember growing up, I would rummage through my big sister's vinyls on weekend mornings. I'd put something on, look at the pictures and try to read and understand the lyrics. It wasn't easy since English wasn't my first or even second language.To my young ears the music of Earth Wind & Fire was just energetic and pure fun. As kid in the late 80's and early 90's I gravitated more toward rock, and it wasn't actually until years later when researching David Foster's catalogue that I fell in love with Earth Wind & Fire.The music was so layered. Not only in its instrumentation but also lyrics with a deeper meaning. If you just listen to it and enjoy it, it's good times and good vibes. But scratch under the surface and there's a treasure waiting for you.Reading this book really cements my love and respect for Maurice White's contribution to the history of music. But I also feel it leaves clues to people. Clues to what it takes to become successful, what it takes to follow your dreams, but also the tremendous amount of self-awareness you need to deploy to live the life you want.It's not another story of rock n' roll excess. It's a sober view of a man that had a vision and dared to follow it. Also, it contains valuable insights into a time when the music industry was changing and lessons about how to not only build up yourself, build up a band, but also how to build and manage an empire. Victories, struggles and all.I'm so happy that this book got written before Maurice White made his transition earlier this year. It's important that his story gets told, and told through his point of view.It's a treasure.

Most of us, as human beings, think in images and words. We use these things to communicate the thoughts that have gone through our minds. So, for me as an individual, I am in awe of the geniuses who think in sounds, both in particles and in comprehensive wholes. Welcome to this autobiography by Maurice White, leader of my favorite group of all-time, Earth, Wind & Fire. I think that one of the things that lay behind the group's success was the fact that Maurice thought out what he was trying to accomplish with the band, long before he put it together. He wanted certain principles emphasized, such as faith, positive thinking, spirituality, love, and tenacity. On top of that, he was a man that was able to hear a symbolic symphony in his head, where he seemed to hear what eventually came out as great songs inside of his head before he could spit them forth. He had a keen understanding of nearly every instrument in the band, and just knew what worked musically. All of this he learned by hard knocks, by coming up with no favors and learning as he went, keen on observing and recording all that he experienced. What one gets with this book is a man who is not just a musical genius, but who took the time to both observe and learn all that he could about life, in general, and this just happens to come out in his music. I was quite surprised to learn that Maurice WAS NOT born and raised in Chicago, though the city is a significant part of who he was. I learned that he really grew up in Memphis, TN, being born there, and raised by an older, non-relative lady whom he called “Mama.” This woman raised him from the time he was left by his biological mother at the age of 4, until he was 18 years old. He called his biological mother “Mother Dear.” At 18, he finally moved to join his biological mother in Chicago, leaving behind his Mama, who died only 6 months after his departure. This book works as an excellent autobiography, in part, because it takes a person behind the scenes, to see how things evolved to their greatness. Though they came from different angles, I was taken by the fact of how, in a musical sense, Maurice's mind seemed to work in a similar fashion to George Clinton's. I have read Clinton's excellent autobiography and in its own way, it is just as powerful as is this one. I absolutely love this book and thank Maurice White for giving this book to the World, as he appropriately said to his as-told-to author, as his “final album.” I am so thankful that he had the foresight and wisdom to leave a printed-form document for us who loved him, and his music, as a final tribute and dedication. This is a most outstanding book!

I was challenged recently by a blog reader to read and review more nonfiction books. I have read fiction books for most of my reading life. There were numerous reasons why I have gravitated towards novels instead nonfiction. However, I chose not to state those reasons in response and accepted their challenge. I have decided to use February in celebration of Black History Month to read more non-fiction.I finished Maurice White’s biography, My Life with Earth, Wind, & Fire two days ago. White was the visionary bandleader for Earth, Wind, & Fire and has chronicled his life story of growing up in 1950’s Memphis, moving to Chicago in the 1960’s to get his musical career started and finally to Los Angeles in the 1970’s where he created one of the greatest musical groups in American Pop Music.White laid out in full detail the ups and downs of his career and challenges of getting Earth, Wind, and Fire on the same musical footing as the great white bands of the 1970s like Led Zeppelin, Genesis, The Eagles, and Aerosmith. He envisioned Earth, Wind, and Fire as a crossover band that covered the full musical palette of black music from gospel, R&B, jazz and Afro-Cuban Music. The band’s musical diversity changed the paradigm of black music along with Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder during the same time. Gaye and Wonder focused on the political and social consciousness of the 1970s while White’s Earth, Wind, and Fire added a spiritual and cosmic perspective unique for its time to black music.This quote near the end of book summed up White’s vision for Earth, Wind, and Fire:"The irony of all this was that I spent a lot of Earth, Wind, and Fire’s creative capital to erase the idea that black masculinty was a one-size-fits-all concept. I wanted EW&F to always represent an intellectual, thoughtful man—a man skilled in his musical craft, independent in his thinking, spiritual and otherwise; a black American and yet a man of the world."Earth, Wind, and Fire was the first musical group I connected with as a kid in the mid 1980s and songs like That’s The Way of the World (my favorite EWF song), Love’s Holiday, On Your Face, Happy Feeling, Can’t Hide Love and September remain a part of my life three decades plus later. Moreover, I truly connect with White’s vision for Earth, Wind, & Fire on an artistic level and has become a source of inspiration for my own creative work.My Life with Earth, Wind, & Fire was an excellent first choice for my challenge and I learned a great deal about the brilliant visionary and creatively, complex man that was Maurice White.

Great Autobiography I liked it because it helped relived the EWF times I enjoyed as a teenager Val in Boston, listening and dancing to their music, and giving me backstage information about the and, as well as a historical account of the and that I wasn't aware of, of hope, persistent perseverance, self confidence and determination by Maurice.I recommend this book to anyone in the music industry and entrepreneurs starting or growing a business or millennial dealing with the start of their careers, facing their initial life experiences.I gave it four stars because of the great stories shared and the motivational content throughout the book. I highly recommended it.

I can honestly say I knew nothing about Earth, Wind, & Fire besides the music. Being born and growing up after their heyday, I didn't really understand how innovative they were. Music often falls on the ears of the naive who never sit down and think of the brilliance it takes to compose a 4-minute song; we often just enjoy a nice melody and groove. I didn't go into reading this with any expectations, but I can say I'm glad I did. I enjoyed learning all about Maurice White, EWF, and all the many challenges they faced.

I really enjoyed this book on audiobook! For so many reasons it was inspiring and moving. And I am not a musician...I bet musicians and music-heads would love this. I appreciated the philosophy and intentionality of the crafting of this band under the leadership of Maurice White and the willingness (and courage) to take creative risks. Such a powerful story of one of the greats in American music. We are immortal. (Note: I really enjoyed the narrator on this as well. Makes a big difference when you enjoy the voice, cadence and relatability of the narration.)

Although I've seen Earth, Wind and Fire 6 times in 40 years, I bought this autobiography because I really didn't know much about the band. By the end of the book, I felt like I knew Maurice White very intimately. This is a very satisfying book for any EWF fan, as White describes his overall philosophies about life and music. He also goes into detail about his childhood and the rise, fall, and eventual resurrection of EWF. His descriptions of how he wrote or co-wrote some of the world's most popular songs is also very interesting. A must for all EWF fans!

My respect for the talent and vision of Maurice White could not grow any larger. What a gifted & disciplined man. I listened to the audio version of this book and there were days I didn't want to get out of the car. Easily one of my favorite memoirs. A life well lived.

Gave my love of EWF a whole new perspective. Maurice White beautifully describes his world view and philosophy behind the band.

Six stars if it were possibleI've said before that I was listening to EWF in the womb, and some of my earliest childhood memories are staring at their Afro-centric, cosmic and sometimes scary album covers. Reading this book makes me happy that I shared this planet with the likes of Maurice White. A known musical genius who attracted the same, he was private amid the band's success, which I deeply respect. It can be a good thing to see the relatable human imperfections of people you admire. And while I'd always recognized the spiritual background to the band's music, reading his deeper explanation of his philosophical influences will stick with me. What a blessed and continually bright Shining Star.

I was very excited to have the opportunity to read this book as EWF is one of my favourite groups of all time. I grew up hearing their music of course as had anyone born in my era (early 70's) but it was not until much later that I began to perceive another layer to their music as I started taking in their lyrics, and realised the deeply spiritual messages within their uplifting, upbeat music.It was a privilege to learn of the musical, personal and spiritual journey of this deeply private man. I loved hearing the genesis of many of my favourite songs from the band. Some of the descriptions of the music is quite technical in nature and for a layperson like myself I was a bit out of my depth, but I appreciated that this was Maurice's language, his thought process, and how he experienced the world. I loved too his description of his spiritual journey throughout his life and how it was the basis for everything that he did, and everything that EWF stood for. His life was truly inspiring, a message that was ultimately about faith. I feel changed, in a very positive way, after having read this book.

Awesome bookI have always loved EW&F it was a part of my childhood, my mother always played their records and when I became an adult I have collected all of their songs. Maurice White had always been a mystery to me, but for some reason I felt if I could ever meet him he would instill in me so many spiritual truths that I had questions about. This book was beautifully written and I binge read it for 2 days straight. After reading this, I felt like I really got to know the real Maurice White. He was a positively beautiful man inside and out. This book is a must read for all diehard EW&F fans. You really feel like you are on the sidelines looking into Maurice White and EW&F's life. You really see and feel all the ups and downs and victories of the band. You even feel all the emotions of Maurice White as he created his "baby" EW&F. I loved this book. I feel inspired by it . I read this book for a reason, it came to me at the right time in my life. I will forever miss Maurice White, he was someone I wish I could've had deep conversations with, he always kept his head to the sky.

I listened to this book on audiobook and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The book pulled the curtain back on the very private life of Maurice White - and his creation of the phenomenal music group Earth Wind & Fire (EWF). For me, the story was intimate, entertaining, and substantive. The author did a wonderful job in conveying Maurice White's character and voice - his beliefs, philosophy, and spirituality, while providing an interesting account of his life before, during and after EWF's success. I liked the dignified manner in which the story was told. For example, he spoke about his success without concentrating on its excess (how many cars or homes owned, or women slept with). In addition, the book informed me of musical influences and associations I didn't know Maurice White was involved with (Urban Knights, Pieces of a Dream, Barbara Streisand). I even looked up a book or two that was regularly mentioned in the story (The Prophet). Extermely enjoyable audiobook!

A bit biased since they are my favorite band, gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because for a non-musician and someone who has never played a musical instrument a lot of the technical information regarding music lost me. Maurice a definitely someone to look up to as a role model for today's youth. I admire the fact he was able to stay clear of the drug culture in the industry. I was in 5th grade when shining star was a hit. I have been a fan ever since and even took my children to see them at a concert in Miami years ago. This book is a wonderful insight into Maurice's vision for Earth Wind and Fire and an eye opener into the obstacles they faced as a band at a time when the Music industry was controlled by white executives .