to award a Lifetime Achievement award to Earth, Wind & Fire at the 58th annual Grammy Awards on Feb. 15, issued a statement expressing condolences.

"(White's) unerring instincts as a musician and showman helped propel the band to international stardom, influencing countless fellow musicians in the process," said president/CEO Neil Portnow. "While he will be greatly missed, Maurice’s contributions to music will live on. We offer our condolences to his family, friends and creative collaborators."



A former session drummer who studied at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, White founded Earth, Wind & Fire in the late 1960s, taking the name from his astrological chart, which had no water signs.

Known for his inventive style, White guided the group's spicy blend of jazz, R&B, funk, soul, pop, disco and even African sounds.

Thegroup went on to sell more than 90 million albums worldwide, displaying a flashy and eclectic musical style that incorporated White's influences from growing up in Memphis, Tenn., and working at the influential Chicago music labels Chess and Okeh.

The band's many hits included September, Shining Star, a cover of the Beatles' Got to Get You into My Life and Boogie Wonderland.

Earth, Wind & Fire won six Grammys and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Contributing: The Associated Press