Shining Star by Earth, Wind & Fire

EWF mastermind Maurice White had a vision for a group that would fuse the heavy funk of James Brown with the polished vocal arrangements of Motown, and add a shot of cosmic, positive spirituality. It took a full seven albums before he got the mix exactly right, but 1975’s That’s the Way of the World turned EWF into a superstar band.

The mighty tenor voice of Philip Bailey was now upfront, and the band’s sound was both funky and smooth. On disc, the two opening tracks—“Shining Star” and the long ballad “That’s the Way of the World”—were segued together without a break, and radio usually played them that way.

As the band took off and the hits kept coming, EWF concerts would become a futuristic spectacle; they even employed a magician to design effects for their live show.

Many of the songs on the album That’s the Way of the World were written for a flopped, long-forgotten film of the same name.

"Shining Star” is under three minutes long, but it’s tricky on a few levels. The vocal part will use most of your range—There are many fast runs, with as many as five notes. There’s also a lot of harmony so if you get confused, remember that you’re singing the high part throughout.

Instrumentally, you’ll need to absorb the song’s funky rhythm. On guitar, make sure to match your alt-strumming with the hammer-ons; as it’s easy to start strumming while on the wrong fret. The drummer has a lot of double-kicks to do, so make sure that your ankle is ready.

For starters, we hear they’re in Barack Obama’s iPod. EWF is still going after many more personnel changes, with White and Bailey still involved.