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SINGAPORE : The first thing you notice when you listen to songs by American R&B band Earth, Wind and Fire (EWF) is how upbeat they are.
The songs by the 40-year-old band really perk you up and have a special, timeless quality to them. This is no wonder as the band focuses heavily on crafting their songs.
"It's all about having great songs with great lyrics," said percussionist Ralph Johnson in an interview with Primetime Morning. “We spend a lot of time working on the songs.”
According to vocalist Philip Bailey, the secret to writing a good song lies in the intention behind the song and its lyrics. EWF wants to "uplift people's spirits and make'em smile".
"No matter what, no matter what age group, demographic," Bailey said. "When you hear Earth, Wind and Fire's music, it brings a smile to your face."
It is this uncompromising insistence on producing quality songs that has allowed them to write such classics as "September", "Fantasy", "After the Love has Gone" and the seminal "That's The Way of the World".
The strength of these classic hits has allowed EWF to sell 90 million albums since its formation in 1969, making it the seventh best-selling band of all time in the United States.
The ten-member band has garnered a total of ten Grammys and four American Music Awards so far, and have performed for two American presidents, two kings and even for a Nobel Peace Prize presentation ceremony.
We are Family
While other bands have broken up, reunited and split up again in a short span of just a few years, EWF have stuck together for the past 40, a feat which Bailey attributes to the members' attitude toward their music.
"We really like what we do and it's really a family," he said. Bailey added that they were blessed with founder Maurice White's strong leadership, another key factor that kept the band together even after four decades on the music scene.
And on Tuesday night, Singapore will get a taste of the EWF family when they perform at a one-night-only concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
Known for staging elaborate, electrifying performances that work the audience into a music-fuelled frenzy and leave them craving more, Bailey assures concert-goers that Tuesday's show will be no exception and that the band will perform with the same energy as before.
And White agrees.
"You are going to feel really good when you leave the concert," said White as a grin spread across his face.
Catch Earth, Wind and Fire at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday, December 1.
- CNA/ha
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