Earth, Wind & Fire, known for their stew of soul subgenres, absorbed lessons from Stevie Wonder's exuberant first singles and the smooth vocal chops of Isley Brothers sides. Drummer Maurice White worked with soul-jazz composer Ramsey Lewis, and the catchiness of Lewis' sound, heard on “The ‘In' Crowd,” clearly had an impact on the funk outfit, as did the inventive arrangements of Sly & The Family Stone.