Earth, Wind & Fire is still an active touring band. The best-known long-term members currently performing under the official name are Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson. They are joined by a larger contemporary ensemble of vocalists, instrumentalists, and the current Earth, Wind & Fire Horns.
The group’s membership story is easier to understand in three stages: Maurice White’s formative rebuild in the early 1970s; the classic 1970s and early-1980s lineup behind songs such as “Shining Star,” “September,” and “Boogie Wonderland”; and the current touring roster. Those eras overlap, but they are not interchangeable: several famous former members are no longer in the official band, and some have died.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Greatest Hits | $20.80 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Abbey Road (Anniversary Edition)[LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41ZIjjsCJWL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Abbey Road (Anniversary Edition)[LP] | $27.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Nevermind | $29.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Songs In The Key Of Life[2 LP + 7']](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Uj29uqUxL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Songs In The Key Of Life[2 LP + 7"] | $37.53 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
![Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits[2 LP]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/411qOkbEPUL._SL160_.jpg)
|
Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits[2 LP] | $27.89 | Buy on Amazon |
Who is in Earth, Wind & Fire now?
The latest roster published on Earth, Wind & Fire’s official members page lists the following musicians. It is the best current baseline, but a website roster should not be treated as a guarantee that every musician appears at every concert. Touring personnel can change by date.
| Member | Current role listed by the band |
|---|---|
| Philip Bailey | Vocals, kalimba, conga, and percussion |
| Verdine White | Bass, percussion, and vocals |
| Ralph Johnson | Vocals, drums, and percussion |
| Myron McKinley | Keyboards |
| Oshun Shango Oshunde | Background vocals |
| B. David Whitworth | Vocals and percussion |
| Morris O’Connor | Guitar |
| Serg Dimitrijevic | Guitar |
| John Paris | Drums and vocals |
The current Earth, Wind & Fire Horns
The official roster separately identifies the band’s horn section as:
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- Format: Vinyl...
- Genre: Rock...
- Released: 2018-05-04...
- Format: Vinyl...
- Released: 2018-05-04...
- Gary Bias — saxophone
- Bobby Burns Jr. — trumpet
- Reggie Young — trombone
This is why a current concert may include more people onstage than the short answer—Bailey, Verdine White, and Johnson—suggests. The three long-term members are the most recognizable continuity from the classic period, while the broader touring organization supplies the keyboards, guitars, drums, background vocals, percussion, and horns required by Earth, Wind & Fire’s elaborate arrangements.
Maurice White and the 1972 rebuild
Maurice White founded and led Earth, Wind & Fire and remained its central creative architect. He was a vocalist, kalimba player, drummer, percussionist, principal songwriter, and the person who established the group’s musical and visual direction.
The decisive early change came in 1972. According to the band’s official biography, White dissolved the existing lineup except for himself and his younger brother Verdine White. He then added Jessica Cleaves, Ronnie Laws, Roland Bautista, Larry Dunn, Ralph Johnson, and Philip Bailey. This was not simply a personnel change; it was a reconstruction that assembled several of the musicians who would define the group’s sound during its hit-making years.
The rebuilt band brought together funk and soul rhythm, jazz-influenced musicianship, layered vocals, African-influenced elements, pop melody, kalimba, percussion, and a prominent horn sound. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame describes that combination as a fusion of funk, soul, jazz, Africana, pop melodicism, complex arrangements, harmonies, and horns.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchAl McKay joined in 1973, adding another important piece of the classic-era sound. The official historical roster then changes repeatedly across the band’s documented 1970s, 1980s–1990s, and 1990s–2000s eras. Earth, Wind & Fire therefore does not have one permanent “original lineup” that stayed intact behind every famous recording.
Classic Earth, Wind & Fire members: then and now
The following musicians are the most important names to separate from the current touring roster. Some remain active elsewhere in music, while others are deceased. Being associated with a classic recording or Rock & Roll Hall of Fame lineup does not mean that a musician is a current member.
Maurice White: founder and guiding force
Maurice White was Earth, Wind & Fire’s founder, leader, vocalist, kalimba player, drummer, percussionist, songwriter, and creative architect. His role went beyond performing: he shaped the band’s arrangements, identity, presentation, and ambition.
White died in 2016 at age 74. His death ended his participation in the group, but not his influence. Current members have continued to describe the band through the principles and direction he established. The current organization is best understood as a continuation of White’s vision rather than a version of the band in which he is still performing.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRank #2
- The new Abbey Road release features the new stereo album mix, sourced directly from the original eight-track session tapes
Verdine White: the bassist who connects the eras
Verdine White is Maurice White’s younger brother and the enduring bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire. He was retained in the 1972 rebuild and remains on the official current roster as a bassist, percussionist, and vocalist.
Verdine is one of the clearest links between the formative band, the classic recording era, and the current live group. The exact personnel on a particular show should still be checked against that concert’s listing, but the official 2026 touring information and contemporary coverage identify him as an active member.
Philip Bailey: vocalist, percussionist, and 1972 recruit
Philip Bailey joined during the 1972 reconstruction and became one of the defining voices of Earth, Wind & Fire. His high-register lead singing helped give the group a distinctive vocal profile, while his work on kalimba, congas, and percussion connected the vocal arrangements to the band’s rhythmic and African-influenced textures.
Bailey remains on the official current roster as a vocalist, kalimba player, conga player, and percussionist. Along with Verdine White and Ralph Johnson, he is one of the three long-term members most directly associated with the band’s continuing live identity.
Ralph Johnson: drummer, percussionist, and vocalist
Ralph Johnson also joined the 1972 rebuild. He became a drummer, percussionist, and vocalist, contributing to the rhythmic foundation as well as the group’s vocal presentation.
Johnson remains an official member and continues to perform with Bailey and Verdine White. His history also connects him to Fred White, who played alongside Johnson in the group’s classic-era rhythm section.
Larry Dunn: the classic keyboard and synthesizer player
Larry Dunn joined the 1972 lineup as a keyboardist and synthesizer player. His arranging and keyboard work were central to the polished, expansive sound associated with Earth, Wind & Fire’s major commercial period. He is also one of the members named on the group’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction display.
Dunn is not listed on the official current Earth, Wind & Fire roster. He continues to work in music outside the official band, including solo and orchestra-related projects. His announced 2026 performance by Larry Dunn’s Anthology of Earth, Wind & Fire is a reminder that former members can continue presenting music connected to the group without being part of its current touring organization.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Rank #3
- Nirvana- Nevermind
Al McKay: former guitarist and the separate Earth Wind & Fire Experience
Al McKay joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 1973 as a guitarist, sitar player, and percussionist. He is listed among the musicians on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s official induction display and is closely associated with the group’s classic repertoire.
McKay now leads the Earth Wind & Fire Experience, a separate live project built around that repertoire. Its official website expressly states that the project is not affiliated with the official Earth, Wind & Fire. That distinction matters when comparing concert listings: an event promoted as Al McKay’s Earth Wind & Fire Experience is not an Earth, Wind & Fire show featuring the official current lineup.
Andrew Woolfolk: the classic woodwind player
Andrew Woolfolk joined in the early 1970s as a flute and saxophone player. His woodwind parts became part of the band’s recognizable sonic palette, and he appears on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s list of inducted members.
Woolfolk participated in recordings that included “Shining Star,” “September,” and “Boogie Wonderland.” He died in 2022 at age 71 after a serious illness. He belongs in the band’s historical story, not on a current-members list.
Fred White: drummer during the classic hit period
Fred White was a younger brother of Maurice and Verdine White. He joined Earth, Wind & Fire in the mid-1970s and remained with the band until 1983, contributing drums and percussion during an especially important part of the group’s career.
Fred’s work is often discussed alongside Ralph Johnson’s because the two musicians formed part of the rhythm section during the classic hit period. Fred White died in 2023 at age 67. He is therefore a major former member, not a current performer.
Jessica Cleaves: vocalist in the rebuilt early lineup
Jessica Cleaves was a vocalist in the 1972 and 1973 lineups. Before Earth, Wind & Fire, she had been associated with the Friends of Distinction, and her participation places her among the important singers in the group’s early rebuilt period.
Cleaves died in 2014. Her tenure was earlier and shorter than the best-known classic lineup, but leaving her out obscures how important the 1972 reconstruction was to Earth, Wind & Fire’s development.
Rank #4
- Number of Discs: 3
- Number of Tracks: 21
- Album Title: SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE
- Music Artist/Band: Stevie Wonder
- Album Year: 2026
Who counts as an “original,” “classic,” or “current” member?
Many disagreements about Earth, Wind & Fire’s members come from using these labels as if they meant the same thing. They do not.
| Term | Useful meaning |
|---|---|
| Original-era members | Musicians from the formative band and earliest recordings, before or around Maurice White’s major rebuild. |
| 1972 rebuild | The lineup reconstructed by Maurice White around himself and Verdine White, with Cleaves, Laws, Bautista, Dunn, Johnson, and Bailey added. |
| Classic-era members | Musicians associated with the major 1970s and early-1980s recording and touring period, including White, Bailey, Verdine White, Johnson, Dunn, McKay, Woolfolk, and Fred White. |
| Former members | Musicians who made substantial contributions but are no longer on the official current roster. |
| Current members | The musicians listed on Earth, Wind & Fire’s present official members page, including the three long-term members and the supporting touring ensemble. |
Other historical members and the horn sections
Earth, Wind & Fire’s official historical roster also documents a much wider circle of musicians: Wade Flemons, Don Whitehead, Michael Beal, Leslie Drayton, Yackov Ben Israel, Sherry Scott, Alexander Thomas, Chester Washington, Roland Bautista, Ronnie Laws, Johnny Graham, Beloyd Taylor, Sonny Emory, Morris Pleasure, Sheldon Reynolds, and members of the Phenix Horns.
The Phenix Horns were particularly important to the band’s identity. The historical section lists Rahmlee Michael Davis, Michael Harris, Don Myrick, and Louis Satterfield. The current Earth, Wind & Fire Horns are a different listed section: Gary Bias, Bobby Burns Jr., and Reggie Young.
These changes illustrate why a complete personnel encyclopedia would be misleading if it presented every name as part of one stable band. The official website separates its historical rosters into distinct periods, including the 1970s, 1972, 1973, 1980s–1990s, 1990s–2000s, and Current eras.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Why did Earth, Wind & Fire’s lineup change so often?
The membership changes reflect the band’s unusually long career and the scale of its music. Maurice White rebuilt the group in 1972, expanded its instrumental and vocal resources, and guided it through a period of major recordings and touring. Later changes followed departures, pauses in activity, and the group’s eventual reactivation with a combination of long-term members and newer musicians.
That process is normal for a large touring ensemble, but it creates several traps:
- A musician can be essential to a famous recording without being in the band decades later.
- A former member can lead a separate project using the group’s repertoire without representing the official band.
- A current website roster can identify the organization while individual concert personnel still vary by date.
- The death of a founder or classic member changes who performs the music but does not erase that person’s creative role in the band’s history.
A short listening guide: where the different eras meet
If you are coming to Earth, Wind & Fire through a documentary or want to hear why the membership story matters, start with the music rather than trying to memorize every roster change.
For the broadest introduction
An Earth, Wind & Fire greatest hits CD is the most straightforward overview. A compilation can put the band’s vocal harmonies, rhythm section, keyboard textures, percussion, and horns in one sequence, making it easier to hear the contributions of Bailey, Verdine White, Johnson, Woolfolk, Dunn, McKay, and other classic-era players across the catalog.
For the classic 1970s hit period
The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1 is a useful starting point for the group’s best-known period. It is particularly suited to listeners who want the songs most often used to introduce the band, including “September” and other representative material from its classic catalog.
For a landmark album experience
Choose That’s the Way of the World vinyl if you want to hear an album-length statement rather than a career overview. The album is a natural entry point for Maurice White’s production and songwriting vision, Philip Bailey’s vocal presence, Verdine White’s bass, Ralph Johnson’s rhythmic role, and the carefully arranged ensemble sound. Availability and editions can vary by country and retailer, so check the pressing details before buying.
After that, albums and collections such as Gratitude, All ’N All, I Am, Greatest Hits, and The Essential Earth, Wind & Fire help fill in the band’s larger arc. “Shining Star,” “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” and the group’s version of “Got to Get You Into My Life” remain useful reference points for understanding its blend of funk, soul, jazz, pop, harmonies, and horns.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Are Earth, Wind & Fire still touring?
Yes. The official tour page lists Earth, Wind & Fire performances in the United States and Canada in 2026, including dates billed with Lionel Richie. The listings confirm that the band remains an active live act rather than a legacy name used only for archival releases.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Best Value
- Records have been cleaned and new sleeved.
- 2 LP release.
- Made in Spain.
For a particular concert, use the official tour listing and the venue’s own event page to verify the date, billing, lineup information, and ticket availability. Do not assume that every musician on the official current roster will appear at every performance.
The group’s legacy is still developing
Earth, Wind & Fire’s history is not only a story about who left and who remained. It is also a story about how a large, highly arranged ensemble created a sound that could move between funk, soul, jazz, African-influenced music, pop, and dance music without becoming anonymous.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2000 induction display recognizes Maurice White, Verdine White, Larry Dunn, Andrew Woolfolk, Philip Bailey, Ralph Johnson, Al McKay, and Fred White. That list captures much of the classic-era core, while the current roster shows how the band’s live identity has been carried forward by Bailey, Verdine White, and Johnson alongside newer supporting musicians.
The story also remains visible beyond the official touring band. Larry Dunn continues related musical work, Al McKay leads a separate Earth Wind & Fire Experience, and 2026 reporting from NPR discussed an HBO documentary about the group while featuring Bailey, Verdine White, and Johnson. Those projects should be understood as different parts of the same legacy—not as evidence that every former member is back in the official band.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Source and terminology note
The current lineup and historical roles above follow Earth, Wind & Fire’s official members and biography pages. Touring activity follows the official tour listings. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame provides the induction-era member display and the group’s broad musical description; reporting from the Associated Press, Pitchfork, the New Pittsburgh Courier, and NPR supplies the documented later-status and documentary context. Living members’ private health, residence, finances, and personal lives are outside the scope of this roster.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the current members of Earth, Wind & Fire?
The official current roster lists Philip Bailey, Verdine White, Ralph Johnson, Myron McKinley, Oshun Shango Oshunde, B. David Whitworth, Morris O’Connor, Serg Dimitrijevic, and John Paris. The separately listed Earth, Wind & Fire Horns are Gary Bias, Bobby Burns Jr., and Reggie Young. Touring personnel can vary by concert.
Is Maurice White still a member of Earth, Wind & Fire?
No. Maurice White, the band’s founder and leader, died in 2016 at age 74. His creative direction remains central to Earth, Wind & Fire’s identity, but he is not part of the current touring lineup.
Is Al McKay’s Earth Wind & Fire Experience the official band?
No. Al McKay’s Earth Wind & Fire Experience is a separate live project led by the former Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist. Its official website expressly distinguishes it from and says it is not affiliated with the official Earth, Wind & Fire.
Recommended Free Tools
Are Fred White, Andrew Woolfolk, and Jessica Cleaves current members?
No. Fred White, Andrew Woolfolk, and Jessica Cleaves are important former members from different periods of the band’s history. Fred White died in 2023, Andrew Woolfolk died in 2022, and Jessica Cleaves died in 2014.
The Bottom Line
Earth, Wind & Fire’s current official touring identity rests most visibly on Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson, supported by a larger contemporary band and horn section. Maurice White, Larry Dunn, Al McKay, Andrew Woolfolk, Fred White, Jessica Cleaves, and other musicians remain essential to the group’s history—but they should be identified as founders, classic-era members, or former members rather than folded into the current roster.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
