Al McKay (born February 2, 1948) – Happy Feelin' (1975)
Al McKay (born February 2, 1948) – Happy Feelin' (1975)
Co-written by former Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist McKay, this very funky jam was featured on their That's The Way Of The World LP.
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Guitarist and songwriter Al McKay is a former member of Earth, Wind & Fire, best known for co-writing their classic hits “Sing a Song” and “September.”
Born and raised in New Orleans, McKay got his start as a guitarist backing Ike and Tina Turner. He later joined The Watts 103rd Rhythm Street Band. From 1973-1981, McKay was a member of Earth, Wind & Fire, playing with them on most of their legendary 70s albums and tours.
While in EWF, McKay co-wrote several of their classic songs, including “Sing a Song” and “September.” With Maurice White, he co-wrote the title track to the Emotions’ LP Flowers (1976), which was a top-20 R&B hit.
In 1975, Earth, Wind & Fire released their landmark album That's The Way Of The World, which reached #1 on both the Top Soul Albums and Billboard 200 pop charts and eventually went triple platinum. It was both commercially successful and critically acclaimed.
The album was the soundtrack to a little-seen film by the same name that starred the band as a fictionalized version of themselves and Harvey Keitel as their producer. The film was produced and directed by Sig Shore, who had previously produced Super Fly (1972).
For this album, McKay co-wrote the very funky jam “Happy Feelin’” (1975) with fellow EWF members Larry Dunn, Philip Bailey, and Maurice and Verdine White. Like the rest of That's The Way Of The World, the song was produced by Maurice White and co-arranged by the band and Charles Stepney. In 2002, EWF issued a live album version recorded the same year it came out, titled That's the Way of the World: Alive in '75.
McKay left the band in 1981. In recent years, he has led The Al McKay Allstars, who perform a show called The Earth, Wind & Fire Experience. Other fellow ex-EWF members in the group are former lead guitarist Johnny Graham, plus Rahmlee Michael Davis and Michael Harris, formerly of the Phenix Horns (EWF’s horn section).
The group also included saxophonist Andrew Woolfolk (Oct 11, 1950 – April 24, 2022) and drummer Fred White (January 13, 1955 – January 1, 2023) until their recent deaths.
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