Hit machine of the ‘70s Earth Wind & Fire, hits town

Thursday, Sept. 21, 2006 | 7:29 a.m.

Who: Earth, Wind & Fire

When: 8 tonight-Saturday

Where: Luxor Theater

Tickets: $60-$90

Info: 262-4400

Earth, Wind & Fire co-founder Maurice White, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, rarely goes on the road, but he still records in the studio with the group.

But White's eclectic vision turned Earth White & Fire into one of the hit machines of the 1970s. The versatile drummer had been schooled in blues and R&B, laying down the beat behind Fontella Bass and Etta James at Chess Records, and in jazz, playing with the Ramsey Lewis Trio.

When he and his bassist brother Verdine started their own band, they blended those elements to come up with a rich stew of solid gold hooks, funky beats and tight horn and vocal arrangements.

Sans Maurice, EWF will perform at the Luxor tonight through Saturday,

Earth, Wind & Fire has remained a dynamic force for more than 35 years - surviving trends such as disco and incorporating them into its sound.

"We have had to adapt, update ourselves as much as we can without being too promiscuous with the brand name," Verdine White says. "The key is to keep growing, like you would do in life."

The band has had enough hits to fill a jukebox or two. Among them: "Mighty Mighty," "Shining Star," "Sing a Song," "Serpentine Fire," "September," "Boogie Wonderland," "Let's Groove," "Can't Hide Love," "Getaway," "Fantasy," "After the Love is Gone" and a remake of the Beatles' "Got to Get You Into My Life."

Even last year's album "Illumination" yielded a hit single, the Raphael Saadiq -produced "Show Me the Way."

The band still performs about 200 shows a year. Its current tour - dubbed "The Illuminate Love Tour" - began in July. But fans are still buzzing about the 2004-05 tour, when Earth Wind & Fire combined forces with Chicago.

Will they do it again?

"I don't know," Verdine White says. "We haven't figured it out yet. We'll see what the future holds."

Why work so hard?

"Because we're good at it, and we like what we do," Verdine White says.

That shows in the honors the band has won: eight Grammy awards, four American Music Awards, eight double platinum/Top 10 Pop albums and eight No. 1 R&B singles. In 2000 the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Earth Wind & Fire is one of the many well-known names scheduled to perform in the Luxor's "Spotlight Series." Pat Benatar headlined last week's concert. Upcoming shows are: Jim Belushi (Sept. 29-30), Liza Minnelli (Oct. 12-14) and the Beach Boys (Oct. 20-21 and Dec. 25-31).