Earth, Wind & Fire
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Honorees
Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF) are a music institution. Over their five-decade history, the group has sold out concerts all around the globe, scored eight Number One hits, and sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, making EWF one of the best-selling musical groups of all time. The group has won an impressive nine Grammy Awards® including one for Lifetime Achievement in 2012. In 2000, EWF was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, cementing their lasting impact on popular music.
For their record-breaking success, EWF have been awarded with Lifetime Achievement honors from ASCAP, NAACP, BET, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. EWF’s reach extends to heads of state. They have been invited to perform for Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, who said in an interview with Rolling Stonethat EWF was a “rhythm and blues and pop staple.”
With a sound that blends funk, jazz, pop, soul, and R&B, EWF cannot be confined to a specific label except their own. Timeless songs have bridged the gap among generations and nationalities, whether it’s the funky and infectious “Let’s Groove,” the timeless dance classic “September,” or the heartfelt “Reasons.” EWF’s catalog of hits has become the soundtrack to many lives now, then, and forever.
EWF’s influence has reached musical giants such as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Prince. Additionally, many of today’s chart-topping artists, including Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, and Alicia Keys, have hailed the band for their artistry.
The music of EWF is more alive than ever as it continues to inspire new audiences and thrill those who have been with the group from the beginning. Like the elements in its name, Earth, Wind & Fire’s music has withstood ever-changing trends in the world and shows no sign of vanishing as they continue to create uplifting music that will forever reach a sacred universal atmosphere.