Is Earth, Wind & Fire a Chicago Band?

Occasionally, a definitive documentary about a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame act graces us with its presence.

State of play: HBO has one in "Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That's the Weight of the World)."

• The film, directed and produced by Questlove, looks at the history of the groundbreaking Chicago funk act.

Yes, but: Is it a Chicago funk act?

The intrigue: The film centers on the late Maurice White, the Chicago musician whose blend of spirituality and genre-defying sounds laid the foundation for Earth, Wind & Fire.

Zoom in: A Memphis native, White moved to the Windy City as a teenager and attended the Chicago Conservatory of Music.

• Footage of 1960s Chicago is featured early in the film, which also touches on White's time as a studio musician at Chicago's Chess Records and a top jingle writer in the city.
• In 1969, White moved to Los Angeles, where Earth, Wind & Fire officially formed.

Zoom out: While White spent time in Chicago setting up his roots and the band, he didn't actually form the band we know and love until he left.

Reality check: "Earth, Wind & Fire would not have sounded like they did without all of the pivotal experiences that Maurice had in this city," music historian Aaron Cohen tells Axios. "This city was not just a place where some of its members happened to be passing through."

The bottom line: Earth Wind & Fire is a legendary, award-winning band. Whether they are from Chicago is still up for debate.

What do you think?