Barry Eugene White was an American musician, officially born Barry Eugene Carter in September 12, 1944. He died from renal failure in July 4, 2003. His musical activities included singing, composing, arranging, writing, conducing orchestra and music production.
Barry White built himself a very special musical universe, with romantic lyrics in almost all of his songs, and magnificent arrangements full of string accompaniment. He was well-known for his deep bass voice, that was reportedly stable and unchanging since he was 14 years of age. He loved to wear satin clothes and kept a thick and structured head of hair. Barry White has been rewarded by the musical business lately in his career, obtaining his two and only Grammy awards in 1999 for his album "Staying Power". At the time of his death, in 2003, Barry White had sold almost 110 million records, and accumulated over one-hundred gold and platinum albums and/or singles.
His Life
Early Life
Even if Barry White was born in September 12, 1944 in Galvelson, Texas, the illegitimate son of Melvin White (a machinist) and Sadie Marie Carter, his family (his mother, his brother and himself) quickly moved to South Los Angeles, California, before he was five. This is where he spent most of his child and teenage years. He lived with only his mother and his little brother, because his father was married to another woman. His mother was a poor but very christian woman, that tried to bring her children up with a good education. She gave to Barry his first musical upbringing, listening classical music at home, and teaching him rudiments of piano. At only 11, Barry became chorus master, showing great musical possibilities.
But in spite of these activities and his good-tempered nature, he was involved in a gang. At 17, he was in jail for three months for stealing $30,000 worth of Cadillac tires. One night in prison, Barry heard Elvis Presley's "It's Now Or Never" loudly listened by another prisoneer. He later told that this caused to change his life, because he decided to pursue a musical career. After serving his prison sentence, he decided to leave the gang, and to be involved in the music production. He met producer and composer Gene Page, that teached him musical arrangement. He first had a little success as a songwiter, writing and composing songs for rock singer Bobby Fuller. He also . He also worked with such bands as The Upfronts or The Atlantics as additional singer. In 1963, he arranged "Harlem Shuffle" for Bob & Earl, and then toured with them for three months. Late 1960's he discovered singer Viola Wills, signed her to Bronco Mustang Records, and wrote her "It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring)". He also recorded one single, his own version of Elvis Presley's "In The Ghetto" under the name Gene West, and under his name "All In The Run Of A Day" and "I Owe It All To You" but the records were flops.
Love Unlimited
In summer 1969 he discovered a band of three girls (sisters Glodean and Linda James and their cousin Diane Taylor), that he later signed with 20th Century Fox Records under the name Love Unlimited, as a Supremes-like trio. Barry White produced the band, writing and composing almost all of their songs, including their first hit "Walking In The Rain (With The One I Love)", that reached the Top 20 of the US charts. In 1972 leader of the band Glodean James became his wife.
Success years
Solo career
In 1973, Barry White worked on a new project, and tried to produce an album for a male singer. He has never been interested in singing, in spite of his first experience as Gene West and his collaborations with The Upfronts and The Atlantics. But his long-time friend Larry Nunes convinced him that he was the right person and he then signed under his name with 20th Century Fox Records. In 1973 he released his first solo album "I've Got So Much To Give". His first hit, "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby" (previously discovered and appreciated by Elton John that obtained a copy of the demo), became #3 of the US charts, and #3 of the R&B charts.
Love Unlimited Orchestra
Same year, after the great reception of the instrumental song "Love's Theme" in Love Unlimited's album "Under The Influence Of Love Unlimited" he obtained to sign his own orchestra of 40 musicians as an instrumental band called Love Unlimited Orchestra with 20th Century Fox Records, against the hesitations of the officials of the production company. Barry White re-included "Love's Theme" in the first album of Love Unlimited Orchestra, "Rhapsody In White", and in january 1974, the song reached #1 of the pop charts. This was regarded by singer Barry Gibb as the first disco hit. Other albums followed, including songs like "My Sweet Summer Suite" (1976) or "Bring It All Up" (1975).
1970's hits
Later in the 1970's Barry White hit the US charts, but hit the charts of other countries too, with such songs as "Never Never Gonna Give You Up" (1973), "You're The First, The Last, My Eeverything"(1974), "What Am I Gonna Do With You" (1975), "I'll Do For You Anything You Want Me To" (1975), "I'm Qualified To Satisfy You" (1976), "Let The Music Play" (1976), "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me" (1977), "Playing Your Game Baby" (1978), and his version of Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are" (1978), with additional lyrics at the beginning of the songs. His hits were often characterized by unusual long titles. But in the late 1970's, his success dwindled. Not satisfied by the terms of his contract with 20th Century Fox Records, he decided to leave the company and to sign himself, Love Unlimited and Love Unlimited Orchestra a new contract with CBS Records.
Success breakdown
Even if CBS Records granted him complete freedom of action to manage his own label, Unlimited Gold, he produced only five solo albums and reached the charts only once with single "Change" (1982), taken from album of the same name.He choosed Webster Lewis to replace him on Love Unlimited Orchestra's album "Welcome Aboard", but the choice was not successful. After this, Barry White suffered many sad events in his life, with the tragic death of his brother Darryl, killed by a bullet in 1983, the illness and then the death of his mother, and the illness and the death of Love Unlimited member Diane Taylor. He decided to pause his recording career, only touring around the world.
Come back
Barry White made his come back in 1987 and signed with A&M Records, with a new album, "The Right Night & Barry White". Well-received by his fans, this album showed a complete change of style in Barry's music. He left some pop arrangements to fix his music in Soul and R&B. With the next five album he released until his death, he never reached Top 20 of the US charts, except with "Practice What You Preach" (1994), that reached #18. In spite of this slowdown in his recording success, Barry White toured around the world with his orchestra of 40 musicians, and once with band Earth, Wind and Fire, with an exceptional welcome of his public, always with performances booked. The relation between Barry White and the public was strong and emotional, as he often told anecdotes and shaked hands during his concerts.
Death
For years until the end of the 1980's, Barry White had suffered of chronical high blood pressure. It resulted a kidney failure in october 2002. He suffered a stroke in may 2003, and his daughter Shaherah announced his retirement of public life shortly after. On July 4, 2003, he died from renal failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Barry White was cremated, and his ashes were scattered by his family off the Pacific coast. Reportedly his last words have been "Leave me alone, I'm fine."
Discography
coming soon
Facts
Family
Barry White has nine children, of four different women. Their names are LaNese, Denise, Nina, Shaherah, Bridget and Barriana, for the girls, and Barry Jr., Darryl, McKevin (stepson), for the boys. He has been married two times, first with Betty Smith, a former actress and music teacher that he calls "Marie" in his autobiography (they divorced in 1965), and then with Glodean James, until his death. Glodean and himself lived separated until early 1990's, and he dedicated his song "Whatever We Had, We Had" (1992) about this separation.
Until his death, Barry White lived with Katherine Denton. Four weeks before his death, she gave birth to a girl she called Barriana. The other children of Barry White have contested the fatherhood.
Acting
Barry White was an occasional dubbing actor. He voiced the main character, "Bear", in the 1975 movie "Coonskin". He played his own character in some episodes of the animated TV show "The Simpson" ("Krusty Gets Kancelled", season 4, episode 22 and "Whacking Day", season 4 episode 20).
He also made some appearances as himself in "Ally McBeal" ("Those Lips, That Hand", season 2, episode 18, and "Bygones", season 5, episode 22).
Other Facts
- In 1999, Barry White published his autobiography "Love Unlimited, insights on life & love", written with Marc Eliot, at Broadway Books.
- In TV show "Ally McBeal", the character of John Cage, played by Peter MacNicol, is a huge fan of Barry White, hearing his songs in his head when he needs to motivate himself.
- Barry White has often received nicknames, as "Maestro of love", "The Man with the velvet voice", or "The Sultan of Smooth Soul", "The Rotund Romeo", "The Prince of Pillowtalk" and "Buddha of the Boudoir".
- Durings his concerts, Barry White always took a satin hankerchief in his hand.
- In 1974, Barry White composed the soundtrack of the blaxploitation movie "Together Brothers", featuring Love Unlimited. In this soundtrack he sang "Somebody's Gonna Off The Man", and Love Unlimited sang "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today".
- Barry White produced Gene Page's 1974 instrumental album "Hot City", composing songs "Gene's Theme" and "I'm Living In A World Of Gloom". Amazingly first track of the album is "Gene's Theme", as the same year first track of Love Unlimited Orchestra's album "White Gold" is "Barry's Theme".
- The South Park Recreation Center of the south-central L.A. community has been renamed after Barry White, when at the same time a public memorial happened early august 2003. Even after his rise to stardom, Barry White took part in the south- central community life, including the sponsorship of children's baseball teams.
- As he reports in his 1999 autobiography, Barry White was about to collaborate with Marvin Gaye on a Gaye's new album in 1984. Barry White says that Marvin Gaye phoned him this way in march 1984, one week before being found dead.
- Kenny G. has been a non-credited member of White's Love Unlimited Orchestra during the 1970's.
- Ray Parker Jr. has been part of White's Love Unlimited Orchestra. He has composed Barry White's song "You See The Trouble With Me" (1976) and Love Unlimited Orchestra's "Always Thinking Of You" (1974).
- In 1978, same year Barry White produced his album "The Man", including his version of Billy Joel's "Just The Way You Are", jazz-singer Les McCann produced an album of the same name, also including a version of the song.
- Begining of french band Le Pamplemousse's song "Le Spank" (1977) amazingly looks like the begining of Barry White's song of the same year "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me".
Quotes
« I've always knew what I wanted to do, and I maked it done.»
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Anonymous
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Incidentally, for you fans out there, an affectionate tribute song describing Barry as the King of Love can be found on YouTube at http://uk.youtube.co
Bebo Lover
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Are you a Barry White fan? I am a huge Barry White fan. What is your favourite songs of him?
Mine are :
"Love's Theme"
"Your Sweetness Is My Weakness"
"Just The Way You Are"
"My Sweet Summer Suite"
Love & Kisses
Gabriel
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Steve
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Needs editing
Friendly,
Gabriel
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James Wade
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Poorly Done
Friendly,
Gabriel
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