RIP Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire

News broke yesterday afternoon that Maurice White, founder of legendary soul, funk and R&B band Earth, Wind & Fire had passed away in his sleep after a long battle with Parkinson's. He was 74.

White formed Earth Wind & Fire in 1969 in Chicago as the Salty Peppers. The band moved to L.A., changed their name to Earth, Wind & Fire and changed music forever with their classic melding of various forms of black music. They got inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. The group released 21 studio albums, including a Christmas album as recently as 2014. White hadn't performed with the band since the '90s, but he was their executive producer.

We thought we'd commemorate White with his lasting legacy: the music. Here's a playlist of 15 essential EW&F tracks, along with a cut from White's solo album.