Earth, Wind & Fire, known for its funky blend of soul and blues since 1969, will make Diamond Head Crater erupt with music again, as one of the attractions of the 2007 Diamond Head Crater Celebration, a day-and-night festival May 19 inside the world-famous extinct volcano.

EWF still boasts three original members — Philip Bailey, lead vocalist and percussionist; Verdine White, bassist; and Ralph Johnson, vocalist and percussionist — who travel with a 12-member group with a long EWF history.

The celebration is the second in as many years inside the crater; presenter Ron Gibson of GM Entertainment brought music and fellowship to Diamond Head last April 1 for the first time in nearly three decades and anticipates the event will grow. Tickets go on sale Saturday.

This year's lineup also will mark the world premiere of Mick Fleetwood's Island Rumours Band, showcasing the iconic Fleetwood Mac founder with his new collaborators from Maui, Willie K and Eric Gilliom.

"We're blending the classics with the talent in Hawai'i," said Gibson, who said the collaboration of Fleetwood, Willie and Gilliom "is exactly what our vision of this event has always been."

And sounds of the classic Santana will unfold in the voice of Gregg Rolie, the uncredited former lead singer of Santana. Rolie's distinctive lead voice, with Latin nuances, fueled Carlos Santana's early hits, including "Black Magic Woman," "Evil Ways" and "Oye Como Va." Rolie also has sung lead with the rock group Journey.

Local singer Yvonne Elliman will make her second crater appearance. She was in the inaugural event and is a widely known diva who earned world fame when she enacted the role of Mary Magdalene in the "concept" recording of "Jesus Christ Superstar," then starred in the Broadway and film versions of the Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice show. She also was part of the "Saturday Night Fever" disco soundtrack.

Performers from the Polynesian Cultural Center will do a lavish opening segment, highlighting Hawaiian and South Seas heritage through songs and dances to focus "on cultural experiences as well." And additional performers will be added later.

Gibson will continue to stage the six-hour celebration as "a boutique event," limiting attendance to about 7,500 like last year.

And elements from the groundbreaking 2006 festival will be repeated, including the Crater Cabaret, showcasing local bands and enabling show-goers to dance; an expanded food court with participating Hawai'i Regional Cuisine vendors and beverage providers, plus an arts and crafts fair.

"But this is not just a concert; it's also about the magic of Diamond Head," said Gibson, a former Hawai'i resident who now transits between California and the Islands. "There's something about being inside the crater, young and old, families. ... Everyone had a smile on their way out."

To enhance the festivalgoing experience, there will be bus shuttles to and from the crater, pegged to appropriate commuters around the Island. Admission includes parking in regional lots; walk-ins are not permitted. "There will be no stress; you ride in, you ride out," he said.

Gibson had sought appropriate permits to relaunch the music event inside the crater; the site had been a regular showcase for what was known as the Sunshine Festival, a dawn-to-dusk attraction for the young. The revamped festival drew Neighbor Island showgoers last year and earned media attention from newspapers in Russia, China and Japan.

He already has been granted permits for another one in 2008.

This year's event has garnered such sponsors as Starwood Hotels & Resorts Hawai'i, Hawaiian Airlines, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, Times Supermarkets, Miller Lite, Servco Lexus, Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Hawai'i, Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays and The Honolulu Advertiser.

"It doesn't get easier (to stage the festival)," Gibson said. "The first one allowed us to have a platform, a vision for a five-year growing process."

He hopes to eventually add "international music and conference" spinoffs to the festival plate, presenting special concerts in smaller venues, on O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands, with unexpected collaborations such as a pop music star performing with a foreign orchestra, coupled with workshops for intellectual and artistic exchange.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.