Philip Bailey
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| Philip Bailey | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Phillip Irvin Bailey |
| Born | May 8, 1951 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genre(s) | Progressive rock, rock, pop rock, pop, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, Soul |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals Drums Piano Keyboards Percussion Trumpet |
| Years active | Solo: 1970—present; with Earth, Wind & Fire (band), 1970—present |
| Label(s) | Columbia Atlantic |
| Associated acts | Average White Band Brand X Flaming Youth, Earth, Wind & Fire |
| Website | philcollins.co.uk |
Philip Bailey (born May 8, 1951, in Denver, Colorado) is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, best known as one of the longtime members of Earth, Wind & Fire. He went to East High School in Denver. Together with Verdine White, B. David Whitworth, and Ralph Johnson he forms the heart of the current EWF line-up on stage.
Before joining Earth, Wind & Fire in 1971, Bailey sang with different ensembles in the Denver and Chicago area.
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[edit] Earth, Wind & Fire
Bailey found fame by sharing the lead vocals on EWF songs with EWF-founder Maurice White. Their harmonic voices are legendary. Bailey is most famous for his falsetto and sung lead on such songs as "Devotion", "Head to the Sky", "Reasons", "Fantasy" and "I´ve Had Enough". Some of Bailey’s earliest heroes included jazz giants like Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Max Roach. But he also developed a taste for the Motown sound, especially the music of Stevie Wonder, who was just beginning to make his mark in the early 1960s. He was also greatly influenced by female singers like Dionne Warwick.
Bailey is currently the on-stage leader of Earth, Wind & Fire, along with bassist Verdine White, vocalist/percussionist Ralph Johnson and vocalist/percussionist B. David Whitworth.
[edit] Duet work
Bailey has also recorded as a solo artist, as well as duets with Little Richard, Deniece Williams, Phil Collins and Eric Benet. His most notable song was a duet with Phil Collins, "Easy Lover" from his solo album Chinese Wall. Phil Collins, during a radio interview, was asked how "he discovered" Philip Bailey. Annoyed with the interviewer's lack of knowledge, Collins made up a story about how he had been filling his car with gas/petrol when he heard the attendant singing...and that turned out to be Philip Bailey. The interviewer believed the whole story, which was also picked up by other media outlets.
[edit] Other work
On October 27th, 2007, Bailey sang "God Bless America" during the seventh inning stretch of game three of the World Series.
Bailey also records gospel albums and did a jazz-styled album entitled Soul on Jazz.
Philip is married to his second wife, vocalist and EWF backing singer, Krystal Bailey.
[edit] Discography
- 1983 Continuation, Columbia Records
- 1984 Chinese Wall, Columbia Records
- 1985 The Wonders of His Love, Word Records
- 1986 Triumph, Word Records
- 1986 Inside Out, Columbia Records
- 1989 Family Affair, Word Records
- 1994 Philip Bailey, Zoo
- 1999 Dreams, Heads Up
- 2002 Life and Love, Import
- 2002 Soul on Jazz, Heads Up
