Verdine White

Verdine Adams White (born Verdine Adams Jr.; July 25, 1951) is an American musician, best known as a founding member and bassist for the band Earth, Wind & Fire. White was placed at No. 19 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time".
 

Early life

Verdine was born Verdine Adams, Jr. in Chicago, Illinois, on July 25, 1951. His father, Verdine Sr., was a doctor who also played the saxophone. He grew up listening to recordings of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and other jazz musicians. He was also influenced by Cleveland Eaton, The Beatles, the Motown sound, and his two drummer brothers, Fred and Maurice. When he was 15, he saw a double bass in his high school orchestra class and decided that he wanted to play bass.

He soon got a red electric bass and, taking the advice of brother Maurice and his father, took private lessons from Radi Velah of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, learning the Billè double bass method, and on weekends learned the electric bass with Chess Records session bassist and trombonist Louis Satterfield, who would later become a member of Earth, Wind & Fire's famed horn section, The Phenix Horns. Verdine says he learned everything about the bass guitar from Louis Satterfield, and some of his early bass influences were James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, and Gary Karr.

Moving toward a newly bought Fender Telecaster Bass instead of the upright bass, Verdine began working the Chicago club scene with local bands. Meanwhile, brother Maurice, who was a former session drummer at Chess Records and a member of pianist Ramsey Lewis' trio, had formed the Salty Peppers, scoring a local hit that caught the ears of Capitol Records.

In early 1970 Maurice moved to Los Angeles, hoping to record the group, which he had renamed Earth, Wind & Fire and called up Verdine asking whether he would like to join, which he did, arriving in Los Angeles on June 6, 1970.

Career

Earth, Wind & Fire

As Earth, Wind & Fire's bassist since the band's inception, White has won six and received two honoree Grammy Awards, has been Grammy nominated eighteen times and has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, to name a few honors. The band has also earned more than 50 gold and platinum albums and have sold over 90 million albums worldwide.

In November 2008 White was presented with Bass Player magazine's Lifetime Achievement Award by Nathan East. On Friday, February 26, 2010, Verdine was inducted as a member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity at the ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Verdine White holds an honorary doctorate degree from the American Conservatory of Music.

On July 2, 2020, Rolling Stone Australia ranked White number 19 on "The 50 Greatest Bassists of All Time".

On December 19, 2024, White released his first-ever solo project entitled "Superman", in honour of his late brother and founder of Earth, Wind & Fire Maurice White. The song was written by White, Motown songwriter Janie Bradford and Carnell Harrell. The song was produced by White's wife, Shelly Clark, who is a member of the 70s group Honey Cone. It's White's first time out as lead singer. Honey Cone members Shelly Clark, Kathy Merrick and Wendy Smith-Brune are on background vocals. Earth, Wind & Fire's drummer John Paris did all of the musical arrangements.

Songwriter

White's credits as a songwriter date back to Earth, Wind & Fire's self-titled debut studio album, on which White co-wrote "C'mon Children" and "Bad Tune". White co-wrote three songs on their third album, Last Days and Time. He had one writing credit on their fourth album, Head To The Sky. On their fifth album, Open Our Eyes, White co-wrote the group's first top 5 R&B/Soul hit (No. 4), "Mighty, Mighty" along with his brother Maurice. They also co-wrote "Kalimba Story", a top 10 R&B/Soul hit (No. 6). These two songs, along with their single, "Devotion" (No. 23), helped the album top Billboard's Soul Album Chart, giving them their first No. 1 album. White's co-writes include some of Earth, Wind & Fire's biggest hits, such as "That's the Way of the World".

White is credited on many artists' songs as heard in commercials, film soundtracks, and television shows.

Other work

Philanthropy

White is the co-founder and director of the Verdine White Foundation, which aims to provide musical education to underprivileged and gifted students. In 2007, he was also inducted into the Boys and Girls Club's Alumni Hall of Fame.

White is the founder of the nonprofit organisation, The Verdine White Performing Arts Center (VWPAC), located in Los Angeles. Founded in 2010, VWPAC encourages students to reach their fullest potential as artists and people, equipped with a well-rounded performing arts education and the confidence to take on whatever path they choose within the arts.

Author

In 1978, White co-authored a book with Louis Satterfield, Playing the Bass Guitar.

Personal life

Verdine White lives in Los Angeles in a house built in 1919, with his wife of 45 years, Shelly Clark. She was once a member of R&B groups The Ikettes and Honey Cone. They have a son and a granddaughter. He also has a twin sister by the name of Geraldine. He is the younger half-brother of Earth, Wind, and Fire band founder Maurice White (December 19, 1941 – February 4, 2016), and older brother of drummer Fred White (January 13, 1955 – January 1, 2023), and Monte White (October 16, 1953 - April 21, 2020). Both were members of Earth, Wind & Fire. Fred played drums and percussion as a band member from 1974 to 1984 and was inducted with the band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Monte served as the group's tour manager from 1974 to 1984.

Discography

Solo project

2024 Verdine White: "Superman" – (Co-writer, Lead vocals and bass)

With Earth, Wind & Fire

Backing musician and production credits

1974 Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess – (bass, vocals)

1975 Ramsey Lewis: Electric Collection – (bass, vocals)

1976 Gene Harris: In a Special Way – (bass)

1976 The Emotions: Flowers – (bass)

1976 Deniece Williams: This Is Niecy – (bass)

1977 The Emotions: Rejoice – (bass)

1977: Gene Harris: Tone Tantrum – (bass)

1977: Lenny White: Big City

1977: Harvey Mason: Funk in a Mason Jar

1977: Pockets: Come Go With Us – (producer)

1977 Deniece Williams : Song Bird – (bass)

1978 The Emotions: Sunbeam – (bass)

1978 Valerie Carter: Wild Child - (bass)

1978 Eumir Deodato: Love Island – (bass)

1979 Harvey Mason: Groovin You – (bass)

1979 Stargard: The Changing of the Gard – (bass, producer)

1983 Level 42: Standing in the Light – (producer)

1992 Norman Brown: Just Between Us

1995 Freddie Ravel: Sol to Soul – (bass, associate producer)

1997 Urban Knights: Urban Knights II – (bass, producer)

2002 Jennifer Lopez: This Is Me... Then – (bass)

2012 Solange: True – (bass)

2015 Flo Rida: I Don't Like It, I Love It – (bass)

2017 Nathan East: Reverence – (bass)

2017 Kelly Clarkson: Meaning of Life – (bass)

2023 Victoria Monet: Jaguar II – (bass)

Awards

RIAA Awards

Multi-Platinum Albums

1975 - That's The Way Of The World

1975 - Gratitude

1976 - Spirit

Platinum Albums

1973 - Head To The Sky

1974 - Open Our Eyes

1981 - Raise!

Gold Albums

1980 - Faces

1983 - Powerlight

1987 - Touch The World

1988 - The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. II

2003 - The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire

Gold Singles

1975 - "Shining Star"

1975 - "Singasong"

1976 - "Getaway"

1978 - "September"

1978 - "Got To Get You Into My Life"

1979 - "Boogie Wonderland"

1979 - "After The Love Has Gone"

1981 - "Let's Groove"

Inductions

1995 - Star on Hollywood's Walk Of Fame

2000 - Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame

2003 - Inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk

2003 - Inducted into The Vocal Group Hall Of Fame

2010 - Songwriters Hall Of Fame

2012 - Beacon of Change award at the Beacon Awards Banquet

2019 - Kennedy Center Honors

2026 - California American Entertainment Hall of Fame

Grammy Awards

2016 - Lifetime Achievement Award

2008 - GRAMMY Hall Of Fame, "Shining Star"

2004 - NARAS Signature Governors Award

1982 - Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals, "Wanna Be With You"

1979 - Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, "After The Love Has Gone"

1979 - Best R&B Instrumental Performance, "Boogie Wonderland"

1978 - Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, "All 'n All"

1978 - Best R&B Instrumental Performance, "Runnin'"

1975 - Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus, "Shining Star"

American Music Awards

1976 - Favorite Band, Duo Or Group - Soul/Rhythm & Blues

1977 - Favorite Band, Duo Or Group - Soul/Rhythm & Blues

1978 - Favorite Band, Duo Or Group - Soul/Rhythm & Blues

1980 - Favorite Band, Duo Or Group - Soul/Rhythm & Blues

Other awards

1994 - NAACP Hall Of Fame Image Award

2002 - BET Lifetime Achievement Award

2002 - ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Heritage Award

2002 - TV Land's Entertainer Award

2002 - The Daniel L. Stephenson Humanitarian Award for Lifetime Achievement in Music

2008 - Bass Player Lifetime Achievement Award

2008 - Honorary Doctorates in the arts from Columbia College in Chicago

2016 - Induction into The Soul Music Hall of Fame.

2021 - Mayor John Hamilton proclaimed February 1, 2021, Verdine White and Shelly Clark day in Bloomington, Indiana.