Maurice White Of Earth, Wind & Fire Dies At 74

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Maurice White, the founder of Earth, Wind & Fire, the band known for hits like "Shining Star and "Boogie Wonderland," died in his sleep overnight. He was 74.

Verdine White posted the following message on the group's Facebook page:

"My brother, hero and best friend Maurice White passed away peacefully last night in his sleep. While the world has lost another great musician and legend, our family asks that our privacy is respected as we start what will be a very difficult and life changing transition in our lives. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes."

White founded the horn-driven band in the late 1960s. "The group went on to sell more than 90 million albums worldwide, displaying a flashy and eclectic musical style that incorporated his influences from growing up in Memphis, Tennessee," The Associated Press reports.

One of the Earth, Wind & Fire's most famous songs was "September," a song that's a go-to at wedding receptions everywhere. NPR Music wrote about the origins of the song in 2014.

"The story of the song begins in 1978. Allee Willis was a struggling songwriter in LA — until the night she got a call from Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire. White offered her the chance of a lifetime: to co-write the band's next album. Willis arrived at the studio the next day hoping it wasn't some kind of cosmic joke."

It wasn't a joke, and over the next month, the group wrote one of the happiest-sounding songs ever.