Philip Bailey -

Philip Bailey (born May 8, 1951) is an American soul singer from Denver, best known as the tenor voice in Earth, Wind & Fire. Since 1983, he’s maintained a solo career in the pop and gospel realms, releasing three secular albums on Columbia between 1983 and 1986, as well as three contemporary titles on the faith-based Myrrh label. In 1984, he dueted with Phil Collins on the pop-crossover hit “Easy Lover.”

Background

Philip Bailey was born Philip James Bailey on May 8, 1951, at Denver General Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Elizabeth Crossland raised Bailey and his older sister Beverly in Denver. Bailey sang in church as a child and imitated singers his mother favored, including Mahalia Jackson and Dinah Washington. An aunt took Bailey to a parade, where he heard bass drums and began reproducing the patterns on trash cans. Bailey shifted to snare drum through Denver public-school music classes and continued his training at East High School under Tag Lavo and choir teacher Mariane Padboy. Padboy trained Bailey in breath control and falsetto. Bailey graduated from East High in 1969, then attended Metropolitan State College and the University of Colorado, where his studies included opera.

Bailey worked the Denver club circuit through high school and college as a singer and percussionist. He played with keyboardist Larry Dunn and saxophonist Andrew Woolfolk in Mystic Moods, then formed Friends & Love with the pair. Perry Jones met Bailey when Friends & Love played 23rd Street East and introduced him to the first Earth, Wind & Fire album. Friends & Love added Earth, Wind & Fire material to their repertoire and opened for the group at a 1971 promotional engagement at the Denver Hilton. Bailey moved to Los Angeles after Friends & Love broke up and became musical director and percussionist for gospel trio the Stovall Sisters. Maurice and Verdine White visited Bailey at his Los Angeles apartment and asked him to join the rebuilt Earth, Wind & Fire lineup.

Earth, Wind & Fire recorded Last Days and Time for Columbia with Bailey on vocals and percussion. Bailey expanded his role on Head to the Sky, where he co-wrote “Evil” and sang lead on “Keep Your Head to the Sky.” He co-wrote “Shining Star,” the group’s 1975 No. 1 pop and R&B hit, and “Reasons,” a lead showcase on That’s the Way of the World. Bailey also developed outside production work on albums by Free Life and Kinsman Dazz. Columbia offered Bailey a solo contract after more than a decade with Earth, Wind & Fire. Bailey entered sessions for Continuation with George Duke as producer.

Discography: