Maurice White, a Chess Records session drummer, joined with four Chicago friends to secure a recording contract and release the first single for the group, then named Salty Peppers. The song was "La La Time."
Following a dud with their next song, the group moved to Los Angeles, where they added a guitar, electric piano, trombone, trumpet and reeds to become a 10-man group, now named Earth, Wind & Fire.
They released their debut album, "Earth, Wind & Fire," in 1971, and followed it with "The Need of Love" later in the year. Both albums met with critical success.
After adding a female vocalist, a flute and a saxophone, the band was signed to Columbia/CBS records, where they released the "Head to the Sky" album in 1973.
The band broke through with their 1975 album, "That's the Way of the World," and hit singles "Shining Star" and "Sing a Song." They followed with three mildly successful albums in the next four years before switching to electronic music in 1981.
After a Grammy Award and platinum single in 1981 with "Let's Groove," the band continued releasing albums every few years until their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.