Earth, Wind & Fire Gets the Questlove Treatment

Virtuoso drummer and bandleader Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is certainly making a name for himself as a music documentary director and producer. The six-time Grammy-winning Philadelphia native won a Grammy Award for Best Music Documentary and an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 2022 for Summer of Soul. Questlove’s Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) earned widespread acclaim as well, and his most recent documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music was released in January 2025. Now, the joint frontman for The Roots, with the blessing from the estate of the late Maurice White and Earth, Wind & Fire (EWF), is about to unleash his next big project.

Calling it a “definitive” story about the legendary group, Questlove has partnered with HBO to produce an untitled documentary to be released in 2026. In a joint statement, Earth, Wind & Fire band members Philip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson added: “We look forward to this in-depth journey of our band, and are so excited to have Questlove directing the documentary.”

Visionary Maurice White originally founded EWF, one of the most critically and commercially successful pop bands of all time, back in 1960. They’d go on to win six Grammy Awards, sell more than 90 million records, and have 11 consecutive albums go Gold, Platinum, or Double Platinum, containing classics such as “Shining Star,” “That’s the Way of the World,” “Reasons,” and “September.”

The mighty elements were extremely popular in the 1970s. They were the first American group to fill large stadiums for concerts with innovative stage performances featuring magic created by the master of illusion, Doug Henning, giant pyramids, fireworks, disappearances, and some members “flying” or levitating while performing. Again, this was a big deal for the 1970s. Most major cities had to hold two or three-day runs.

In a statement following the announcement, Questlove said:

“Having been baptized in the Afrocentric joy river of this powerhouse unit, I’ve learned about them, I’ve learned about us & more importantly, I’ve learned and rediscovered myself in the process. I’m so excited to be part of the process of preserving their positive but VERY vulnerable and real story of Soul, Self & Struggle. I’m honored to tell the story of Earth, Wind & Fire and the deep meaning behind their message and music. To grow up listening to the music is one thing, but to be handed the keys to the kingdom of preserving history is another. I can’t imagine a better platform on which to share this documentary with U.S. audiences than HBO.”

The project will be the first documentary on EWF since 2001’s Shining Stars: The Official Story of Earth, Wind & Fire. The synopsis reads as follows: “The film examines the iconic group’s lasting legacy, cultural impact, and enduring body of work, and features exclusive access to the band’s archives of visual, audio, and written material.”

Maurice White passed away in 2016 at age 74 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

-Sharon Oliver

Photo: EWF, 1970s (public domain)