Guitarist Al McKay is a founding member of Earth, Wind & Fire. His trademark rhythm guitar can be heard on the band’s most famous hits like “That’s The Way Of The World,” “Can’t Hide Love,” “Getaway,” and “Boogie Wonderland.” He and Maurice White also co-wrote some unforgettable stuff for the band like “Sing A Song,” “Let Me Talk,” “September” plus “Best Of My Love” for The Emotions.

During his tenure with EWF, McKay built a parallel career as a session player working on albums by Patrice Rushen, Harvey Mason, Eumir Deodato, Herbie Hancock, Valerie Carter, Flora Purim and many others. In 1981, McKay left the R&B super group and started a career as songwriter/producer while continuing to do some session work. He produced albums for the legendary Temptations, A Taste Of Honey, Shirley Jones of The Jones Girls, Finis Henderson and Glenn Jones.

In the nineties, McKay formed his own combo, The Al McKay Allstars, which at various stages included several former EWF members. The Al McKay Allstars performs a live show based on EWF’s greatest hits. The band has toured worldwide several times always with good success. In 2001, The Al McKay Allstars released a studio album entitled “Al Dente” that presented renditions of six EWF classics including “September,” “Fantasy” and “Sing A Song,” plus five new songs co-written by McKay. The covered material was arranged with a modern twist and performed with good conviction and fire. One of the highlights of “Al Dente” was “You Owe It All To Love” that was originally sung by Finis Henderson on his fantastic 1983 album “Finis.” In 2006 the group released a live album, “The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience – Live In Europe.” It’s pretty obvious that it isn’t the original EWF on stage and sure the lead singers aren’t Maurice White or Philip Bailey, but the high level of musicianship and the fantastic songs covered make for a very pleasant listen. Among the legendary tunes included are three masterpieces co-written by David Foster. They are the milestone ballad “After The Love Has Gone,” “In The Stone” with its classic intro and catchy progression and the funky jam of “Let Your Feeling Show.”

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[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/let_your_feeling_show.mp3|titles=Let your feeling show|artists=Al Mckay Allstars]

Lead Vocals: Devere Duckett, Tim Owens & Claude Woods
Guitars: Al McKay
Piano & Keyboards: Ben Dowling
Drums: Aaron Haggerty
Bass: Hussain Jiffry
Percussion: Joey DeLeon
Trumpet: Bill Churchville & Michael Harris
Saxophone: Ed Wynne
Trombone: Steve Baxter
Produced by Al McKay

Woke up Sunday morning,
Feeling out of tune.
Wrapped my eyes around you,
Love came in the room.
Baby, gonna let my feelings show,
Everyday, gonna learn to love you more.

Laughing into midnight,
Lover being my guide.
We approach the morning,
Feeling good inside.
Baby, gonna let my feelings show,
Everyday, gonna learn to love you more.

Paying dues and changes,
Living day to day.
Love is necessary,
To help you find the way.
Baby, gonna let my feelings show,
Everyday, gonna learn to love you more.

Chorus
Try not to hide,
What you feel deep inside.
If you care, you must dare,
To be free as the air.

Fairy tales and stories,
That we fail to see.
We will tell the story,
Of reality.
Baby, gonna let my feelings show,
Everyday, gonna learn to love you more.

Tingle in our heartbeat,
Rapture on the cloud.
When softer words are spoken,
Action speaks out loud.
Baby, gonna let my feelings show,
Everyday, gonna learn to love you more.

Chorus
Try not to hide,
What you feel deep inside.
If you care, you must dare,
To be free as the air.

In 2002, Maurice White finally released a live album on his Kalimba label with the recordings of a great Earth, Wind & Fire concert performed in Rio de Janeiro, in 1980, before an audience of more than 100.000 people. Back then the band was at the top of its game both commercially and artistically. This exciting record entitled “Live in Rio” presents many of EWF’s most treasured songs performed by an incredible line-up of musicians with amazing intensity and craftsmanship. Legendary lead singers Maurice White and Philip Bailey dominate the show along with sax man Andrew Woolfolk, bassist extraordinaire Verdine White, keyboardist Larry Dunn, drummer Fred White, percussionist Ralph Johnson, guitarists Al McKay and Johnny Graham, plus the smokin’ Phoenix Horns. Evergreens like “Boogie Wonderland,” “September,” “Fantasy” and a sumptuous rendition of “After the Love Is Gone” are all included here. “In The Stone,” a Foster classic co-written with White and Allee Willis for the “I Am” album, also made the record. With its classic horns intro, catchy rhythm and exciting groove, this spectacular song has been used on countless radio and TV ads and jingles. “Live in Rio” also includes a snippet of the “I Am” original song “Rock That.” It is another Foster/White lively moment. We suggest you check this album out to once again experience the absolute greatness of Earth, Wind & Fire’s music. The band is still performing today minus Maurice White. However, they are still going strong with new musicians keeping the legacy alive and kicking.

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[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/in_the_stone.mp3|titles=In the stone|artists=Maurice White]

Lead Vocals & Percussion: Maurice White
Vocals & Percussion: Philip Bailey
Keyboards: Larry Dunn
Percussions & Background Vocals: Ralph Johnson
Drums: Fred White
Guitars & Background Vocals: Al McKay
Guitars: Johnny Graham
Bass & Background Vocals: Verdine White
Sax: Andrew Woolfolk
Horns: Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield, Michael Harris & Rahmlee Michael Davies
Backing Vocals: Carla Vaughn, Sylvia Cox & Judith Jones
Produced by Maurice White

Lyrics

I found that love, provides the key
unlocks, the heart and souls, of you and me
Love will learn to sing your song,
Love is written in the stone

Every man, I meet is walking time
Free to wander past his conscious mind,
Love will come, and take you home
Love is written, in the stone
Do you believe, my friend, in what you claim?
People of the world all doubt the same
bringing questions of their own
truth is written in the stone

In the stone, you’ll find the meaning
you’re not standing tall (It’s in the stone)
In the stone the light is shining,
ever touching all–

Life experience a passing day
Time will witness, what the old folks say
getting stronger every day
Strength is written in the stone
Deep inside your heart for you to keep
lights a spark of light that never sleeps
The greatest love you’ve ever known
Yea, it’s written In the stone

In the stone, you’ll find the meaning
you’re not standing tall (It’s in the stone)
In the stone the light is shining,
ever touching all–

Never, never my darling,
never you’ll be alone
Ever, forever my darling
True love is written in the stone

David Foster and Jay Graydon originally recorded this wonderful ballad in 1980 on their seminal album, Airplay. Like many other tracks included in that masterpiece, a group named Odyssey immediately covered “It Will Be Alright.” Odyssey was a good soul/disco act that enjoyed some success on the r&b charts with songs like “Native New Yorker,” “Weekend Lover,” “Going Back To My Roots” and “Inside Out.” In 1981 they released an album entitled “I Got The Melody” that saw them somehow changing their style in favor of more sophisticated rhythms. This record is split between up-tempo soul numbers and ballads. It features really good tunes written by the likes of Leon Ware, Tom Snow, Bob Wilson of Seawind, and Patti Austin who wrote the great title track (originally sung by Kenny Loggins on “Celebrate Me Home”). “It Will Be Alright” was one of the singles from the record. Even if Odyssey’s version can’t really compete with Airplay’s definitive take, it is quite good and faithful to the original arrangement. The cream of NY session guys played on the album; John Tropea, Bob Mann, Mike and Randy Brecker, Neil Jason, Hugh McCracken and David Letterman’s Paul Shaffer. Their precise and tight playing was a plus. Although a bit dated, “I Got The Melody” is still a fine listening choice.

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[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/it_will_be_alright.mp3|titles=It will be alright|artists=Lillian Lopez, Louise Lopez & Billy McEachern]

Vocals: Lillian Lopez, Louise Lopez & Billy McEachern
Acoustic & Electric Guitars: Bob Mann
Keyboards: Paul Shaffer
Bass: Neil Jason
Drums: Allan Schwartzberg
Vocal arrangements by Steve Tyrell
Arranged by Chris Dedrick
Produced by Steve Tyrell

Lyrics

“I’m not in love with you…” you said to me
“…You’ll always be my friend
but that’s where my story ends…”
So I think that no one can love me
I swear to keep to myself and never need anyone else oh,no
and now you want to be loved by me again

I know love can come and go,one day it’s “yes” then one day “no”
I know second chances don’t fall from the sky
“But I love you,stay with me tonight,and it will be alright”Indecision sure can drive you wild
my heart’s staring me in the face pain can never be erased
it scares me into running like a child
now I can hear your eyes – they say you have lied
now I want to be loved by you againI know love can come and go,one day it’s “yes” then one day “no”
I know second chances don’t fall from the sky
“But I love you,stay with me tonight,and it will be alright””Stay with me tonight…stay with me and it will be alright…”come and go,come and go
first it’s “yes” and then it’s “no”Do you want me?
if you don’t want me let me know

I know love can come and go,one day it’s “yes” then one day “no”
I know second chances don’t fall from the sky
“But I love you,stay with me tonight,and it will be alright”

“I Am was like our Abbey Road. It really scored pop” (Verdine White). “I think of it as a milestone album, whole careers came out of it. It was like, ‘listen to I Am and see what you can steal’. All the pieces came together” (Maurice White).

This is the record of Boogie Wonderland, After The Love Is Gone, In The Stone. Earth, Wind & Fire’s music was everywhere, surely one of the hottest acts in the world around that time. The mix of r&b and quality pop finds one of its heights with this album. David Foster and Maurice White co-wrote the bulk of the album with help from lyricist Allee Willis. Read what the singer recently had to say about it: “David Foster and I went to Carmel, I had a home in Carmel, then, and sat at the piano for a week. And we wrote all the songs in three days. Those songs were channeled to us from a higher source, I’m sure”. We don’t know which source sent them those gems but I Am is an absolute pleasure to listen to today exactly like it was in 1979. We have picked Wait as a very good example of its beauty. It is a lovely ballad with a strong Foster influence, especially his prominent piano and cool rhythms mixed with Maurice White’s splendid vocals and the strings and horns arranged by Tom Tom 84 and Jerry Hey. This music just can’t grow old, it’s so positive, it just makes you wanna smile and dance. There’s also one more song, Diana, that was written by White and Foster and recorded during the I Am sessions and that should be released soon as part of a new EW&F compilation cd.

Earth, Wind & Fire have also recently released a new cd, entitled The Promise, that keeps the great tradition going, always with the White brothers, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson sharing their music gifts to the world.

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[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/archives/clips/wait.mp3|titles=Wait|artists=Earth Wind and Fire]

Lead Vocals: Maurice White
Keyboards: David Foster & Larry Dunn
Bass: Verdine White
Guitars: Al McKay & Johnny Graham
Drums: Fred White
Pecussions: Ralph Johnson
Back Vocals: Philip Bailey and Maurice White
Horns: Andrew Woolfolk, Don Myrick, Louis Satterfield and Rahmlee Michael Davis
Arranged by Maurice White & David Foster
Produced by Maurice White

Lyrics

I’ve been waiting so long,
Just watching the phone, for you.
To wait, it takes,
Love that’s for real
And all, that I feel, inside to do.

I come prepared, to look in your eyes
And walk side by side,
With you baby, baby.

Listen for tender words, I’d like to say
Like I love you today, and I’ll wait
For you.

It’s crazy, if you think, we’re just friends.
Loving when, infatuation ends.
The wait for you, baby it now begins.

You sigh, when I come close to your heart.
You cry, from the start,
Please wait for me.
Your mind, shows, places you go,
And things you don’t know.
Someday you’ll grow.

Climbing a moutain high,
Your love I desire.
Inside my heart cries for you.

Baby, we’re more, than friends
I know, the wait will end.

David Foster won a Grammy in 1982 for producing the original cast album of the Broadway hit show Dreamgirls. This show revealed the immense talent of singer Jennifer Holliday and her vocal performance on the song “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going” was the true showstopper and it also became a #1 R&B and top 30 pop hit. Maurice White (Earth, Wind & Fire) produced her first record – “Feel My Soul” – in 1983, and he teamed up with Foster to write a few tunes for the record.

“I Am Love” was the first single released and it hit #2 on the R&B chart and it was also a minor pop chart entry. It is an intense ballad truly dominated by Holliday’s powerful vocals married with Foster’s trademark rhythm arrangements and keyboards work. Sure you can hear some EW&F influence especially with Jerry Hey’s horns and the backing vocals, while Jeremy Lubbock’s strings arrangements put the ice on the cake.

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Lead Vocals: Jennifer Holliday
Drums: Ricky Lawson & Fred White
Bass: Nathan East
Keyboards: David Foster
Guitars: Carlos Rios & Caleb Quaye
Back Vocals: Jennifer Holliday, Wanda Vaughn, Jeanette Hawes, Crystal Wilson, Maurice White
Track ARR. by David Foster & Maurice White
Horn ARR. by Jerry Hey
Strings ARR. by Jeremy Lubbock
Produced by Maurice White

Lyrics

If I talk too much you see
I’m tryin’ desperately to be understood
If I seemed a little shy
It’s for all the times I hid my heart in the dark

Like in all the story books
The white knight came and took the little girl
Alone in the world
You don’t try to overwhelm
When I sometimes undersell the way I feel
Now I believe

I am love, love
Always here to give you what you need
Like you do for me
I am love, love
For the first time I know that it’s real
Oh, you make me feel
I am love

You mend the ragged edge
Of a heart that’s always fled a merry-go-round
When I tell the little jokes
Your eyes shine as I float in the clouds
I’m not comin’ down

You always build me up
And you’re not afraid to touch what’s on my mind
You’ll always find

I am love, love
Waiting here to give you what you need
Like you do for me

You walked inside the wind
Pushin’ me to bend
Teaching me to live today
Oh, all the dreams have just come true
Say that you are here to say

I am love, love
Waiting here to give you what you need, yeah
Like you do for me
I am love, love
For the first time I know that it’s real
Oh, you make me feel
I am love

I am love
Always here to give you what you need
Like you do for me
I am love