Maurice White, co-founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, dead at 74

Singer Maurice White, whose velvety smooth voice and songwriting flair powered Earth Wind & Fire, died Thursday after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

He was 74.

The soul singer died in his sleep in his Los Angeles, the gossip site TMZ first reported.

The illness kept White from touring with the genre-spanning group since 1994, though his presence could be felt through his younger brother, Verdine, who remains with the band.

 

“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,” Verdine White wrote in a statement to the band’s fans.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee, the older White got his start singing in church as a 6-year-old.

 

He’s best known for co-founding Earth, Wind & Fire in 1970, helping to provide a soundtrack to the decade with hit singles like “Shining Star” and “After the Love Has Gone.”

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, the group notched 26 gold and platinum albums.

White also found success as a songwriter and producer, working with the likes of Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond.

It's been a rough month for music fans with a spate of deaths, including David Bowie, Glenn Frey of The Eagles and Jefferson Airplane’s Paul Kantner.