Verdine White

Verdine White
White with Earth Wind, and Fire performing in 2010 in the Netherlands
Background information
Born	(1951-07-25) July 25, 1951 (age 65) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	R&B, funk, soul, jazz fusion
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, bassist
Instruments	Bass guitar, vocals
Years active	1969–present
Associated acts	Earth, Wind & Fire Level 42
Website	Official website

Verdine White (born July 25, 1951) is an American musician, best known as the bassist for Earth, Wind & Fire and the younger brother of band founder Maurice White. White is known for his high energy and dancing while playing his bass guitar during Earth, Wind & Fire. Verdine is the only remaining founding member left in the band.

Verdine was born in Chicago, Illinois, on July 25, 1951. His father, Verdine Sr., was a doctor who also played the saxophone. He grew up listening to recordings of Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and other jazz musicians. He was also influenced by his two drummer brothers, Fred and Maurice White, the Motown sound, and the Beatles. When he was 15, he saw a Double bass in his high school orchestra class and decided that he wanted to play bass.

He soon got a red electric bass and, taking the advice of brother Maurice and his father, took private lessons from Radi Velah of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, learning the Bille double bass method, and on weekends learned the electric bass with Chess Records session bassist and trombonist Louis Satterfield, who would later become a member of Earth, Wind & Fire’s famed horn section, The Phenix Horns. Verdine says he learned everything about the bass guitar from Louis Satterfield, and some of his early bass influences were James Jamerson, Paul McCartney, and Gary Karr.