Shining Star

January 6, 2014
Bailey, lead singer of Earth, Wind & Fire, chronicles his quest to transcend his humble origins and become his own “shining star” in this new memoir. Bailey is most successful when he stays true to his deep knowledge of music and enthusiasm for the minutiae of the business, as when he charts the myriad influences that contributed to EWF’s unique sound, from Sly Stone to Sergio Mendes. Detailed accounts of the craft of recording, like one of building EWF’s signature groove in the studio with legendary producer Charles Stepney, are a treat for devoted fans of the band. The cast of characters in and around EWF is also vividly rendered, with special attention paid to Bailey’s sometimes-fraught relationships with bandleader Maurice White and White’s younger brother Verdine. Despite Maurice’s unconventional business arrangements and the band’s unceremonious breakup in 1983, Bailey’s respect for his former mentor keeps any bitterness from coming across. Bailey flounders when disclosing details of his personal life, although an early scene with his father is affecting. Still, fans of Bailey’s music will find him a warm and occasionally very funny guide through the elements of this American band that Rolling Stone declared “changed the sound of black pop.”

March 15, 2014
Earth, Wind & Fire lead singer Bailey recounts his groovy life at the center of one of the most influential bands ever to don gold lame capes and platform boots. The author was just a fresh-faced kid barely out of his teens when an older, wiser musician named Maurice White turned him onto "The Concept," the elder artist's genre-defying vision to transform a somewhat motley version of Earth, Wind & Fire into one of the most powerful musical ensembles in the world. As remarkable as it seems, the amiable young percussionist with the smooth falsetto voice and rough family background was being tapped to play a pivotal role in the maestro's grand design. Covering both the joys of "making it" in the funk-filled 1970s, as well as the costs of achieving that kind of early stratospheric success, Bailey and his co-writers consistently tell a singular musical story with an impressive fluidity that feels brisk even while covering lots of ground. Longtime fans will no doubt appreciate the time devoted to exploring the production of the signature EWF sound, while also getting to know the players behind chart toppers like "September," "Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland." But Bailey doesn't stop there, nor does he ignore the seamier side of the EWF story or his own womanizing. "From the first day Janet and I were married, I had no intention of remaining faithful," he writes. "As a child I didn't witness much faithfulness in my parents' generation." Bailey seems just as candid about his complicated relationship with White, a man he continues to respect and revere on many levels, even while confronting the many business-oriented transgressions that led to EWF's initial implosion. Ultimately, the author succeeds in illuminating his life both inside and outside his legendary band. An energetic memoir about a complex individual and his music.

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February 1, 2014
Bailey is the lead singer of the dynamic, wildly eclectic, and deeply influential R&B/soul/funk/gospel group Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF). He begins his memoir with a description of founder Maurice White's Concept of how the group would raise people to a higher level of consciousness. White also wanted to make sure the band stood out from the resthence, their flamboyant clothing and unique stage presence. Bailey tells his own story, beginning with his Denver childhood, when he knew at age 6 that he wanted to be a musician, and continuing on to how he came to join the second incarnation of EWF as a 21-year-old singer-percussionist. He discusses his complicated relationship with women, the 1970s station wagon tours, the ups and downs of a professional band that is still active, and White's health issues (he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1992). He name-drops, too, although not to excess: a Patti LaBelle here, a Sly and the Family Stone there. A fun read overall, especially for the many EWF fans still out there.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)