Al McKay from Earth, Wind and Fire at Norman's Rare Guitars 

Didn't see this anywhere in the first several comments, so I'll just say it here: the tunes are "On Your Face" and "Serpentine Fire".

Fills are for thrills, but the pocket pays the bills

I keep coming back to watch this because it's so much more real than other versions. If you can appreciate the subtleties, you realize how greatly talented he is. Takes years to finesse a melody like that.

"A good rhythm guitar player is worth his weight in money" - Chaka Kahn

1st tune he played; "On Your Face", 2nd tune; "Serpentine Fire" . . . awesome axeman for EWF!!

My Guitar hero growing up thank you Al

I love Al Mckay of Earth Wind & Fire, a genius indeed. I loves how he play the music. God bless you Al Mckay, you are truly a gift to us, thank you for the music.

Todd Pritchard quoted it best: "Fills are for thrills, but the pocket pays the bills!" Al McKay's contribution is written in the stone. No pun intended. Former member of EWF, member of the R&R Hall of Fame, co-wrote, produced, performed and sold millions of records. He has nothing to prove.Those within the industry want his sound if they can get him. Sure lead guitar is impressive but not financially supportive as backup and accompanying rhythm guitar. Guitar chord work is crucial in music as piano parts are.

Amazing player. Solid groove. Those fingers made history. 🙏

I love Al McKay. His playing was a huge influence on me and kept me out of trouble as a youngster. Thanks Al for all the great grooves. EWF forever !

WoW ! What a treat ! This guy has more grooves in his little finger than most of us have in a whole career ! Thanks Al McKay and also to Norm for presenting this ! 👏🎇👏

Mr Mc Kay you made me play guitar. After I bought a EWF record. I picked up guitar playing at the age of 15. And it kept me occupied all these years. It has given me love fullfillment and piece of mind during some troublesome years. Thank you for the music Mr McKay..... I never knew who you were. But now I hear your riffs I know you are my shining star.

i have to watch this at least once a month...The Great Al McKay is the reason i play guitar today... as a teenager when i would listen to EW& F, i would close my bedroom door and put on my headphones and imagine i was Al McKay, playing along with Verdine and Maurice and Larry and them...i would visualize myself onstage playing the amazing guitar parts on "On Your Face", "Love's Holiday", "Mighty Mighty", "Getaway", "Jupiter", "Magic Mind", "Flowers"(the Emotions), "You And I"(from 'I Am'), "Love Vibes" (The Emotions), etc...even the often forgotten Finis Henderson classic "Skip To My Lou" produced and played on by Al McKay is/was an eternal inspiration to me...like Norman said, he is the greatest rhythm guitar player in music history...and in my opinion, the greatest guitar player EVER, period....

When he plays you can feel the earth, wind, and Fire groove!! Simply amazing!!

Mr. Mcay played the pants off that guitar!!!! Full rhythm with a slice of mango on the side!!!! You are one of the best to do it!! God Bless!!!

Legendary work with earth wind and fire, The best rhythm guitarist I've ever heard.

Incredible! One of my favorite guitarist! I don't get no better than Al McKay!

Absolute legend! Earth Wind & Fire back in the day were the best band on the planet because of great musicians like Al McKay were in the group.

In his autobiography, Maurice White said something like “Roland (Bautista) was wonderful but he wasn’t Al”.😊

Think this is my fav video from Norms. Thank you for introducing me to such a guitar legend!!

You'll never be Topped in my book, The Greatest Guitarist EWF ever Had Period!

So much respect for this guy. You can tell that even after so many years he still enjoys and has fun playing

I can already hear the influence he had on Prince's guitar playing.

this is what great bands are built around

I first remember him from Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band before he hooked up with EWF.

Al didn’t produce the Emotions. That was Maurice and Charles Stepney. Al and Ralph ( Johnson ) produced the Temptations album that had “Treat her like a lady” on it. He wrote ALOT with EWF, but he did not produce the Emotions. First song he played was “On your face” second one was Serpentine Fire.

Wow - Al McKay simply beautiful.

That first song “On Your Face” from the Spirit Album is still one of my favorites

Al McKAy is a legend--a great lead player and a great rhythm player. He means every note he plays. Thanks for the post. Where is this store?

Wow............! Impressed or WHAT? LOL. Beautiful Rhythm. Talk about SOUL. Puts you in a warm place. Thanks Mr. McKay.

*Pick up the late, great Maurice White's autobio,* (a fantastic read for any R&B/ pop fan, btw), in which he repeatedly lauds the playing of Mr. Al McKay; you can sense how very crestfallen Mr. White was when Al was no longer in the band, and how much Maurice felt that McKay, along with Verdine White, were the absolute pillars of the Earth, Wind and Fire sound.

That Serpentine fire! Ain't it funny how the way you feel shows on your face!

2:55 serpentine fire

First track is On Your Face second is Serpentine Fire. Al sounding sharp as ever.

Stunning! I was trapped at the first chord. Stayed till the end. Amazing display

On your face and Serpentine Fire! The one and only Al Mckay!

The "GREAT" Al Mckay..Peace and Blessings

Al was playing with E W F when I love them the most!!!

Al is a true funk master!!!

Al one of the greatest of all time!

EW&F was never the same after Al left, the music became overly commercial and stand up to the previous recordings basically after the Faces LP

"if you cant play rhythm, then you aint shit"- jimmy hendrix

Such a very Lovely sunshine Sound !!!!

He still has it Al Mc cay, all of us are getting old, me too, I'm 60 wowwwww like they say time flies, it has wings LoL

I learned rhythm guitar listening Mr. McKay. Thank you brother.

My grandson is two years old and EWF is his favorite band and his favorite songs are Fantasy, Getaway and Saturday Night. Al is one of the greatest guitarist ever. ❤

I've just made myself the president of your fan club. Anybody wants to hear you play, got to come to me first.

..this is amazing, thank you so much..love Al MKay's guitar groove..

On Your Face is a fun tune with a great groove. I'm glad that Al picked it to have a clinic on.

Love Al's guitar but most of all have always loved his sweet smile & dimples!

Damn I wish I could play like this

Norms favorite player? I can hear why....hope he bought that guitar he sounds great with it.

dude is Rockin...like that Gibson! When Al Left the sound went with him!

Al is the best!!

大先生いつまでも お元気で ギターヒーロー永遠なり ご健康お祈りしています

wow this guy is and always will be the rythum of the band. verdine couldnt be as funky with these tunes if he didnt have a good lead/rythum guitarist. its so unbelieveable that he sounds like he just got with that the band. AL MCKAY is the MAN FOREVER.

Al plays multiple grooves with slight of the hand. He's demonstrating well for "On Your Face".

Wow, great rhythm player, not sloppy but straight forward! Thank you Al and thank you Norm for posting this giant.

Al needs to make a DVD on his playing,books etc. We need you!!!

That whole Spirit LP is great for the garage guitarist who wants to learn and get up some groove

This vid is WAY too short!

All the most soulful players are lefties.

Miss him so much with Earth Wind and Fire

Funky as hell! Awesome groove!

Ain't it funny how you feel....shows on your face....

it's "On Your Face" from the album 'Spirit' from 1976 , Columbia Al is the greatest!

The great Al McKay. Love his playing! I've been playing guitar most of my life and I must say that I get more personal enjoyment from laying down a groove for a hot soloist than I do from playing solo myself.

Always loved your energy as u performed had and still do have a big crush u were my favorite EWF performer.

My day just got better..!!!!!! GREAT SOUND and GREAT PLAYING !!!!!!!!!!

Phew! Al Mckay set the rhythm on so many EWF tracks, it's so cool to hear him now! Still solid!

Al McKay and Paul Jackson Jr...funk guitar gods!

Anyway ... nice to see Al McKay! A beautiful musician!

Damn!! Al, that was incredibly funky. I just keep watching this video over and over again. You play just the way I feel when I try to play. You serve as so much encouragement for me.

I love Al McKay playing now, I see how important he was to EWF !!! True Johnnie Graham & Roland Baustita (R.I.P) held the ground later but no one & I mean NO ONE can be Al !!!!!

A huge part of the EW&F sound. Mr. Al McKay! The man!!

"Ain't it funny that the way you feel shows on your face" ..." When I see your face like the morning sun you spark me to shine"

EWF...it just doesn't get any better.

Verdine White made me play the bass guitar when I was only 15. Now I am 51 years old.

Just shut up! we wanna hear Al's playing

on your face ! what a great guitar player , go see him live ! the Al Mckay experience is awesome live !

Really enjoyed Hearing you play Al. Miss hearing your rythms so much. Love you dude. ChasWalk

Amazing, no words to explain.

3:21 that serpentine fire goes crazy

My 1st secular concert at 6 years old were the elements featuring Al Mc Kay. The meat of band along with Larry and Verdine, Maurice, Ralph, Phillip, Phoenix Horns

On Your Face Earth Wind and Fire.

Al McKay is the greatest rhythm guitarist in the history of rhythm guitar!!!

Master at work... SWEET!

love your style. .my cousin Tim tours with you. . God bless you. I play guitar as well , mostly for my church. .. I am blessed by your gift

i come across this video again... Folks... Just SHUT UP AND LISTEN!!! PERIOD!

So good. wanna play like this when I'm his age

Guitarist Ronnie Riley took lessons from Al Makay

Props to the legendary Al McKay.

Wow he’s got an unbelievable groove. So smooth. I live riffs like that. Especially with those minor 7s shewww 🤘

Written all over your face. ! My musical mentor.. Dudes were into Hendrix, I was into Al Mckay. I'm majored in Rhythm Guitar..

It's awesome that he plays exactly what your ears want to hear!!!!

wow, then I had to rewind the video when I realized he was playing Serpentine Fire!

Al has always been one of my favorite guitarists and a true inspiration.

That's some awesome soul guitar playing!

Master rythm playing is all about the feel...wich he has got....😀 "bucketloads of feel"...

Uncle Al is a beast..Love ya 🤗🤗🤗