By Ashleigh Chevalier
In Gratitude: A Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire will perform in Fredericksburg on Friday, March 27, 2015. Doors open at 7 p.m. at The Old Silk Mill, 1707 Princess Anne St. Tickets are $35 purchased online in advance, and $42 at the door.
The band features Robert “WaWa” LeGrand on guitar, Gene McBride on vocals, Gary Grainger on bass, and Gregory Grainger on drums. A full horn section, percussion section and keyboards round out the group. Collectively these accomplished musicians have played with, and in some cases still perform with legends like Whitney Houston, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Chuck Brown, Funkadelic, Maceo, Jessy J, Robin Thick, Teddy Pendergrass, Ken Navarro, Lonnie Liston Smith, Acoustic Alchemy, John Scofield, Peaches & Herb, George Duke, and Earth, Wind & Fire. The list goes on and on.
“The reason we came together is really for the love of this band and the music,” said Gary Grainger, who directs the group with his brother Greg. “We want to recreate the music the way Earth, Wind & Fire played it back when they first came out. This is music with a positive message, which is needed in these times.”
Gary Grainger is an internationally recognized bass player who was the co-leader of the group Pockets when they were discovered by Verdine White, the bass player of Earth, Wind, & Fire. Pockets produced three albums in the late 1970s: Come Go With Me, Take it on Up, and So Delicious. The group opened for Earth, Wind & Fire on tour during that time.
Grainger has been known to pop in occasionally for some funky jams. He recently performed with Toby Fairchild at the Colonial Tavern’s Jazz night. It will be a fabulous night in the ‘Burg.
Comment on your favorite Earth, Wind & Fire song at the bottom of this article, and share!
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