Shining Star
Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire
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- $24.99
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- $24.99
Publisher Description
Earth, Wind & Fire has sold some ninety million records and won eight Grammy awards. But while its charismatic founder, Maurice White, and Philip Bailey, one of popular music’s greatest voices, are remarkable musical talents, their relentless work ethic exhausted and emotionally gutted the group. Now, Bailey shares the inside story of his professional and spiritual journey, from his origins to the band’s meteoric rise to stardom, and from its breakup to its triumphant reinvention. Shining Star will mesmerize the supergroup’s millions of fans and anyone who loves an inspiring story about what happens when real life exceeds your dreams.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bailey, lead singer of Earth, Wind & Fire, chronicles his quest to transcend his humble origins and become his own "shining star" in this new memoir. Bailey is most successful when he stays true to his deep knowledge of music and enthusiasm for the minutiae of the business, as when he charts the myriad influences that contributed to EWF's unique sound, from Sly Stone to Sergio Mendes. Detailed accounts of the craft of recording, like one of building EWF's signature groove in the studio with legendary producer Charles Stepney, are a treat for devoted fans of the band. The cast of characters in and around EWF is also vividly rendered, with special attention paid to Bailey's sometimes-fraught relationships with bandleader Maurice White and White's younger brother Verdine. Despite Maurice's unconventional business arrangements and the band's unceremonious breakup in 1983, Bailey's respect for his former mentor keeps any bitterness from coming across. Bailey flounders when disclosing details of his personal life, although an early scene with his father is affecting. Still, fans of Bailey's music will find him a warm and occasionally very funny guide through the elements of this American band that Rolling Stone declared "changed the sound of black pop."
