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Sheldon Reynolds was a guitarist and co-vocalist for several landmark bands, including Earth, Wind & Fire, and The Commodores.
Sheldon Reynolds’ legacy
Born in Ohio, Reynolds drew attention for his skills on the guitar at an early age, leading him to pursue a career in music in his teens. He got his start opening for Millie Jackson in the 1970s, then joined the disco/funk band Sun for three albums.
In 1983, Reynolds jumped onto a much larger stage when he became a member of The Commodores, who had just lost their frontman, Lionel Ritchie. He was with the band when they won a Grammy Award for “Nightshift” in 1985, and prior to his death was set to re-join the band for their 2023 tour. Reynolds left The Commodores in 1987 to join the pioneering multi-genre band, Earth, Wind & Fire. He was part of the “Touch the World” album, which went to No. 3 on the charts, as well as on the album’s two No. 1 singles, “System of Survival” and “Thinking of You.” He was also on hand in 1994 when the band was inducted into the NAACP Image Award Hall of Fame.
When Reynolds wasn’t recording and touring, he was writing, recording, and performing his own music, and providing guest work on albums by Smokey Robinson, Maurice White (1941–2016), and Barbara Weathers. Outside of music, Reynolds was an avid astronomer. In 2011, he became a contributing editor to Astronomy Magazine.
Tributes to Sheldon Reynolds
Full obituary: People
