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Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire
Viking
April 2014
On Sale: April 15, 2014
248 pages ISBN: 0670785881 EAN: 9780670785889 Kindle: B00DMCV3ZY Hardcover / e-Book
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Non-Fiction Memoir
A revealing and heartfelt memoir from the lead singer of the
legendary Earth, Wind & Fire With more than ninety million records sold and eight Grammy
awards throughout its forty-year history, Earth, Wind &
Fire has staked its claim as one of the most successful,
influential, and beloved acts in music history. Now, for the
first time, its dynamic lead singer Philip Bailey chronicles
the group's meteoric rise to stardom and his own
professional and spiritual journey. Never before had a musical act crossed multiple styles and
genres with a quixotic blend of astrology, Universalism, and
Egyptology as Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF) did when it
exploded into the public's conscience during the 1970s. The
group's shows became sensory experiences with their dramatic
staging, shimmering costumes, elaborate choreography,
baffling magic tricks and a thumping backbeat. At the center
of it the group was its charismatic founder Maurice White
and Bailey, with his soaring multi-octave range and
distinctive falsetto. After being signed by recording titan
Clive Davis, EWF went on to produce a remarkable series of
platinum and gold albums and headline stadiums around the
world. As Philip and Maurice were profoundly influenced by
genius producer Charles Stepney, as well as famed arranger
David Foster, EWF elevated Sly Stone's multiethnic "I Wanna
Take You Higher" message to an even higher level. Bailey hit the wall due to fame, fortune, and the excesses
of global succes. The constant touring and performing took
its toll on him publicly and privately. While White and
Bailey's relentless work ethic shot the band into the
stratosphere, it also exhausted and emotionally gutted the
group. In 1983, White abruptly dismantled the band, leaving
Bailey and the rest of the members to fend for themselves.
As a solo act, Bailey recorded "Easy Lover," a worldwide
smash duet with Phil Collins, launching the next stage of
his career until EWF reunited later that decade. Shining Star is the true story of what happens when
real life exceeds your dreams, when the power and pain of
building a legacy brings both joy and faith-testing challenges.
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