Earth, Wind & Fire drummer Fred White died on Sunday, according to the band and his brother Verdine.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, born Frederick Eugene Adams in Chicago, died at the age of 67.
Adams joined Earth, Wind & Fire as a teenager in 1974, alongside brother Verdine White and half-brother Maurice White, and stayed with the band until the mid-1980s.
“Our family is saddened today by the loss of an incredible and talented family member, our beloved brother Frederick Eugene ‘Freddie’ White,” Verdine wrote in an Instagram tribute. “He now drums with the angels alongside our brothers Maurice, Monte, and Ronald in heaven!”
There have been no further developments in Adams’ death. USA TODAY has reached out to the band’s representatives for more information.
He boasted about his brother’s legacy, referring to him as a “child protégé” despite the fact that he was only 16 years old.
“But, more than that, he was the wonderful bro who was always entertaining and delightfully mischievous at home and beyond!” Verdine recalled Adams. “And we could always count on him to lighten up a seemingly dire situation!”
Lenny Kravitz added, “My heartfelt condolences go out to you and your family. I was fortunate to be in his presence and to have been influenced by him. A true monarch. Rest in your power.”
Earth, Wind & Fire also paid tribute on Instagram, posting a video of Adams performing a drum solo during a tour stop in Essen, Germany, in 1979. “Rest in love,” wrote the band.
Adams’ time with Earth, Wind & Fire earned him several awards for songs like “September,” “Shining Star,” and “Boogie Wonderland.”
Prior to joining the band, he made a name for himself as a drummer for Donny Hathaway, Howdy Moon, and Little Feat. While with Earth, Wind & Fire, he continued to drum for other artists such as Deniece Williams, the Emotions, and Ramsey Lewis.
