Everyone remembers the first album they ever bought for themselves. For comedy legend Wanda Sykes, it was Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1975 release That’s the Way of the World. And to that 11-year old version of herself, there was nothing else in the world quite like the invigorating funky riffs and uplifting, soulful lyrics of a band making their first dip into the mainstream. Little did she know then that she would be thinking back on those smooth, supple sounds nearly 45 years later and examining just how important their message of staying positive and looking to the future with hope would be in her life. Now, with multiple comedy albums, awards, and television and movie appearances to her credit, Wanda can look back fondly and remember that no matter what, she knew that the first step on her path to greatness was believing she could be whatever she truly wanted to be. The 500 is a production of Native Creative Podcasts. For show notes, guest playlists, complimentary documentaries and audiobooks about the music, go to The500Podcast.com. New Song / Artist influenced by Earth, Wind and Fire:

• "Beat 54 (All Good Now)" by Jungle (YouTube) & (Spotify)

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