Earth, Wind & Fire › Similar Artists

Heatwave - 91% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Although based in Britain, Heatwave was formed by the Wilder brothers, Johnnie (3 July 1949, Dayton, Ohio, USA, d. 13 May 2006, Clayton, Ohio, USA) and Keith, on their discharge from the US Army. An advertisement in a music paper yielded Hull, England-born songwriter and keyboardist Rod Temperton, while further members recruited were the American guitarists Eric Johns (b. Er Read more

Kool & The Gang - 76% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Originally formed as a quartet, the Jazziacs, by Robert ‘Kool’ Bell (8 October 1950, Youngstown, Ohio, USA; bass), Robert ‘Spike’ Mickens (b. Jersey City, New Jersey, USA; trumpet), Ronald ‘The Captain’ Bell - later known by his Muslim name Amir Bayyan (b. 1 November 1951, Youngstown, Ohio, USA; saxophone, keyboards) and Dennis ‘D.T.’ Read more

The O'Jays - 73% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

The core of this long-standing soul group, Eddie LeVert (16 June 1942, Birmingham, Alabama, USA) and Walter Williams (b. 25 August 1942, USA), sang together as a gospel duo prior to forming the Triumphs in 1958. This doo-wop-influenced quintet was completed by William Powell (b. 20 January 1942, USA, d. 26 May 1977), Bill Isles and Bobby Massey and quickly grew popular aroun Read more

Rufus - 71% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

This Chicago-based group evolved from the American Breed when three original members, Al Ciner (guitar), Charles Colbert (bass) and Lee Graziano (drums), were joined by Kevin Murphy (keyboards), Paulette McWilliams (vocals), Ron Stockard and Dennis Belfield. Initially known as Smoke, then Ask Rufus, it was several months before a stable unit evolved. Graziano made way for Andre Read more

The Isley Brothers - 70% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Three brothers, O’Kelly (25 December 1937, d. 31 March 1986), Rudolph (b. 1 April 1939) and Ronald Isley (b. 21 May 1941), began singing gospel in their home-town of Cincinnati, USA, in the early 50s, accompanied by their brother Vernon, who died in a car crash around 1957. Moving to New York the following year, the trio issued one-off singles before being signed by the Read more

Luther Vandross - 68% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Luther Ronzoni Vandross, 20 April 1951, New York City, New York, USA, d. 1 July 2005, Edison, New Jersey, USA. Born into a family immersed in gospel and soul singing, Vandross had already formed his own group while still at school and later worked with the musical theatre workshop, Listen My Brother. This enabled him to perform at Harlem’s Apollo Theatre. After a brief Read more

Tower Of Power - 66% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Formed in 1967 in Oakland, California, USA, this durable funky soul group - Rufus Miller (vocals), Greg Adams (trumpet), Emilio ‘Mimi’ Castillo (Detroit, Michigan, USA; saxophone), Steve Kupka (saxophone), Lenny Pickett (saxophone), David Padron (trumpet), Mic Gillette (horns), Willie Fulton (guitar), Francis Prestia (bass), Brent Byers (percussion) and David Garib Read more

The Spinners - 62% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Stevie Wonder - 61% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Steveland Judkins, 13 May 1950, Saginaw, Michigan, USA. Born Judkins, Wonder now prefers to be known as Steveland Morris after his mother’s married name. He was born with rerolental fibroplasia, a disease of the eyes that affects prematurely born babies. This caused permanent blindness but despite this handicap, Wonder began to learn the piano at the age of seven, and h Read more

Carl Carlton - 59% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

L.T.D. - 59% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

The Gap Band - 59% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

This influential US funk/soul outfit was formed in 1967 by three brothers, Charlie Wilson (Charles Wilson, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA; vocals/keyboards), Ronnie Wilson (trumpet/keyboards) and Robert Wilson (bass/vocals). They took their name from the initials of three streets, Greenwood, Archer and Pine, in their home town of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Initially known as the Greenwood, Arch Read more

Chaka Khan - 56% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Yvette Marie Stevens, 23 March 1953, Great Lakes Naval Training Station, Illinois, USA. Having sung with several Chicago club bands, including Lyfe, Lock And Chains and Baby Huey And The Babysitters, Chaka Khan became acquainted with Ask Rufus, a group formed from the remnants of hit group the American Breed. When Khan replaced original singer Paulette McWilliams, the line-u Read more

George Duke - 52% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

12 January 1946, San Rafael, California, USA. Duke studied the piano at school (where he ran a Les McCann -inspired Latin band) and emerged from the San Francisco Conservatory as a Bachelor of Music in 1967. From 1965-67 he was resident pianist at the Half Note, accompanying musicians such as Dizzy Gillespie and Kenny Dorham. This grounding served as a musical education for Read more

The Whispers - 51% match to Earth, Wind & Fire

Formed in the Watts section of Los Angeles, California, USA in 1964, soul group the Whispers were originally comprised of Nicholas Caldwell (5 April 1944, Loma Linda, California, USA), twin brothers Wallace and Walter Scott (b. 23 September 1943, Fort Worth, Texas, USA), Marcus Hutson (b. 8 January 1943, St. Louis, Missouri, USA) and Gordy Harmon. The group recorded its firs Read more