Maurice White, 74; singer, founder of Earth, Wind & Fire

Maurice White, a percussionist and singer who founded and led Earth, Wind & Fire, a crackling mainstay of 1970s dance music that leaned heavily on funk, soul and R&B, died Feb. 3 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 74.

The cause was complications from Parkinson’s disease, his brother and band bassist Verdine White told the Associated Press.

Earth, Wind & Fire was a major crossover act known for such hits as “Shining Star,” “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” the conga-driven dance groove “Serpentine Fire,” “After the Love Has Gone,” “Sing a Song” and a cover of the Beatles’ “Got to Get You into My Life” — songs defined by a rollicking beat, jangly electric bass lines, bracing trumpet breaks and soulful vocal choruses.

Those elements reflected White’s roots in Memphis, that seminal Mississippi River crossroads for rock, blues and jazz.

Earth, Wind & Fire, named for three elements of White’s astrological sign (Sagittarius), was known for its elaborate stage shows filled with wild lighting and pyrotechnics, arrangements that combined the African percussion instrument kalimba (thumb piano), and lengthy, jazz-influenced brass solos. The group was also distinguished by its vocal harmonies and interplay between White, a tenor, and Philip Bailey, who sang in falsetto.

White saw the musical almost totally in the service of creating good vibes and spiritual brotherhood — bridging the gap between black and white musical tastes while incorporating uplifting messages of black pride and African consciousness. The title cut of their album “Open Our Eyes” was a rearrangement of an inspirational song earlier recorded by the Gospel Clefs in 1958.

“We live in a negative society,” he once told Newsweek. “Most people can’t see beauty and love. I see our music as medicine.”

Earth, Wind & Fire, which sold tens of millions of records, won six Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Its music was continually revived for films — from the spy farce “Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002) to “Summer of Sam” (1999) — when a song was needed to instantly evoke an era.