“Our foster communities are very underserved and undersupported, and that’s why so many of them find themselves in precarious situations,” said Bailey, who donates a percentage of all Earth, Wind & Fire concert ticket proceeds to the foundation. That’s when he founded Music Is Unity, a foundation that provides grants to nonprofit organizations and agencies that offer support services to young-adult foster children when they are cut off from help. In 2007, Bailey turned his attention to helping many of the 23,000 youth who age out of the foster-care system every year. Philip Bailey created Music is Unity in 2007. “He gets to see the reason I was never home.” But he’s now touring with his namesake, Philip Bailey Jr., singing backup vocals with the band. In his 2014 memoir, “ Shining Star: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire,” Bailey admitted that he was something of an absentee father to his seven children from three marriages. “The shows have been fantastic, and the reception has been fantastic.” “Carlos brings it every night,” Bailey said of what is being billed as “ The Miraculous Supernatural Tour” coming to Ball Arena on Wednesday night (June 29). The current tour reunites Bailey and Verdine White with 74-year-old Carlos Santana for the first time since EW&F and Santana toured Europe together in the early ’70s. The roster that included all three Denver members was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Over the band’s 53 years, it has had 30 players, with only Verdine White remaining from the first lineup in 1969. Bailey became the on-stage band leader in 1994 when White was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Maurice White asked Bailey to join his then 3-year-old band in 1972, along with a third East High classmate, keyboardist Larry Dunn. Earth Wind and Fire via Colorado Music Hall of Fame This early promotional photo shows, from left, Larry Dunn, Andrew Woolfolk and Philip Bailey, all graduates of Denver East High School. The vision was broad, but it has been adhered to for 50 years now.” “And for that reason, we chose to write things that would be uplifting and positive and help people navigate through the hard and challenging times with music that would bring people together. “It was Maurice's vision for the band to be, as he put it, 'a service to humanity,’ ” Bailey said. It remains perhaps best known for the classics "Shining Star," “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Let’s Groove (Tonight),” “After the Love is Gone” and a cover of The Beatles’ classic “Got to Get You into My Life” - each infused with Bailey’s signature falsetto. It coagulated amid the social upheaval of 1969 to intentionally put life-affirming, exuberant music out into the world that promotes love, brotherhood and respect. “He just made a great impact on everybody he met, so his legacy will truly live on through his children and those who were close to him.”Įarth, Wind & Fire, winner of seven Grammy Awards, was named after the primary elements of founding drummer Maurice White’s astrological sign (Sagittarius). As a musician, he was fearless, vivacious and entertaining. “He had such a profound impact on so many people by the way he dealt with his adversity,” Bailey said of Woolfolk, a member of the band from 1973-93, with four years off along the way. “Booskie,” as he was nicknamed by founding band member Verdine White, was a champion, a strong person and ever upbeat, even in his suffering. Philip Bailey, keft, posted this photo with Andrew Woolfolk to social media after his high-school friend died in April.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |