New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Fred White, drummer of the legendary US soul and RnB band, Earth, Wind & Fire, has died aged 67.
The news was shared by his brother and bandmate Verdine White in an Instagram post.
Verdine described his brother as an "amazing and talented" gifted child musician, who "had gold records at the young age of 16 years old!"
He is "now drumming with the angels!", he added.
"But more than that at home and beyond he was the wonderful bro that was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous!" Verdine remembered Adams. "And we could always count on him to make a seemingly bad situation more light hearted!"
He ended the tribute: "Soar high baby bro, we love you to the shining ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and back!"
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer musician, born in
Chicago as Frederick Eugene Adams. Adams joined brother Verdine White and half-brother Maurice White in
Earth, Wind & Fire as a teenager in 1974, drumming for the band until the mid 1980s.
"Our family is saddened today with the loss of an amazing and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene 'Freddie' White," Verdine wrote in a tribute on Instagram. "He joins our brothers Maurice, Monte and Ronald in heaven and is now drumming with the angels!"
after surgery
Lenny Kravitz commented, "Sending my love and deepest condolences to you and the family. I was blessed to have been in his presence and blessed to have been influenced by him. A true king. Rest in power."
Adams' time with
Earth, Wind & Fire resulted in several awards for hits such as "September," "
Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland."
Some of the band's biggest hits are still widely popular, often sampled and used in countless movies. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, played the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show and has six Grammys. The band's cover of the Beatl "Got to Get You Into My Life" was on President Barack Obama's first Spotify playlist.
The band's most successful period started with the 1975 album "That's The Way of The World" and continued through the rest of the decade.
Prior to joining the group, Adams established himself while behind the drums for Donny Hathaway, Howdy Moon and
Little Feat. He also continued to drum for other artists while with Earth, Wind & Fire, including Deniece Williams, the Emotions and Ramsey Lewis.
