Passed on today at 58 years old leaving 8 children behind. i just heard this just now
[This message was edited Fri Jul 4 14:10:20 PDT 2003 by Finess]
LOS ANGELES - Velvet-voiced R&B crooner Barry White (news), renowned for his lush baritone and lyrics that oozed sex appeal on songs such as "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe," died Friday morning, his manager said.






White, who had suffered kidney failure from years of high blood pressure, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center around 9:30 a.m., said manager Ned Shankman. He was 58.


White had been undergoing dialysis treatment and had been hospitalized since last September.


His work epitomized seductive disco music, also known as "make out" music. The heavyset musician enjoyed three decades of fame for songs like "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me."


White's canyon-deep, butter-smooth vocals and throbbing musical tempos emphasized his songs' sexually charged verbal foreplay. His 1975 song "Love Serenade" began with the purring, first-person lyrics: "I want you the way you came into the world/ I don't want to feel no clothes ..."


Although his popularity peaked in the 1970s, White received belated recognition for his work in 2000 when he won his first two Grammys (news - web sites) for best male and traditional R&B vocal performance for the song "Staying Power."


Born Sept. 12, 1944, in Galveston, Texas, to a single mother, White and his younger brother, Darryl, spent most of their childhood in south central Los Angeles. He said he had a lifelong love for music. During his early teenage years, he began singing in a Baptist church choir and was quickly promoted to director.


In 1990, White told Ebony magazine that his voice changed overnight from the squeaky tones of a preadolescent to the rumbling bass that made him famous.


"It scared me and my mother when I spoke that morning," he said. "It was totally unexpected. My chest rattled. I mean vibrations. My mother was staring at me, and I was staring at her. The next thing I new, her straight face broke into a beautiful smile. Tears came down her face and she said, 'My son's a man now.'"


He was jailed at age 16 for stealing tires, a punishment he credited with helping him straighten out his life and dedicate his efforts to music.


Inspired by the Elvis Presley (news) song "It's Now or Never," White joined the Upfronts soul group as bass singer and cut six singles. For several years, he stayed away from performing and focused on work behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer.


He married a childhood sweetheart, identified only as Mary in his autobiography, and fathered four children with her before they separated in 1969 and later divorced.


White discovered the female trio Love Unlimited — which included his future second wife, Glodean James — and produced their million-selling 1972 single "Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love."


The next year, White returned to performing with the song "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby," which topped the R&B chart and hit No. 3 on the pop chart.


He is credited by some for helping launch the disco phenomenon with his orchestral "Love's Theme" in 1973, which he conducted with his group, The Love Unlimited Orchestra.


In 1974, his album "Can't Get Enough" climbed to the top of the pop charts on the strength of the signature hits "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" and "You're the First, the Last, My Everything."


That year he also married James. The couple had four children together and collaborated on the 1981 album "Barry & Glodean," which featured the songs "I Want You" and "You're the Only One for Me." They divorced in 1988, but he said they always remained good friends.





White suffered a family tragedy in 1983 when his brother, Darryl, was shot and killed in a dispute with a neighbor over change from a $20 bill. In his 1999 autobiography, "Love Unlimited: Insights on Life and Love," Barry White said music likely spared him a similar fate.

After working on more than a dozen albums in the 1970s, his career waned over the next decade as he attempted small comebacks with the albums "The Right Night & Barry White" (1987) and "The Man is Back!" (1989.)

He enjoyed a larger resurgence with 1994 album "The Icon Is Love," and his ballad "Practice What You Preach" became his first No. 1 hit in 17 years. Toward the end of the 1990s, his songs were regularly featured on the Fox comedy series "Ally McBeal (news - Y! TV)" and he made an appearance on the show as himself.

His single "Staying Power," off a 1999 album of the same name, won White two Grammys and proved he hadn't tamed his libidinous lyrics. "Put on my favorite dress, the one that oozes sexiness," he cooed in the title track's opening lines.

That year White's chronic blood pressure problem forced him to cancel several live performances with the group Earth, Wind & Fire and he was briefly hospitalized.

White's survivors include eight children, grandchildren, and his companion Catherine Denton
[This message was edited Fri Jul 4 14:14:35 PDT 2003 by Finess]

Yeah, I just read this too.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/h...046558.stm

Don't know what to say...

Loved Barry, this news depresses me very much. Barry dead, Luther in a coma, it's just not fair...

man oh man... i'm sittin here listenin to "i've found someone" right now...damn, i'ma miss his voice.

HJD...

LUTHER IS OUT OF COMA AND BACK AT HOME FOR 2WEEKS NOW!
HE IS ALIVE AND WELL!!!

facts need get straighten now!


RIP BARRY

RIP Barry

R.I.P. Barry, you truly will be missed.

RIP Big Man.

Love Unlimited.

Im not listening 2 ANY of his music because I will seriously start 2 cry...I feel really sad because I could swear he was doing better the last i had heard about him. un-believeable.

This is too fucked up for words.

I just read the same story as the Finess wrote. Truly sad news. I bought his 1989 album "The Man is Back!" and loved it (also have one of his hits collections which is amazing!). He will really be missed.

We all expect to live a long and healthy life and sometimes it's not so, but you give what you can in this life, because we take so much for granted. R.I.P Mr. White and thank you for given the world a special part of you that will live on forever. My mother used to play Barry White all the time, she was a big fan. She's pretty down right now. I can imagine, I'm a different generation, but God forbid if my #1 idol...well, I think I'll just go play some Prince and be thankful.

I had the extra special opportunity to play violin in the "Love Unlimited Orchestra" at his Detroit stop during one of his last tours. It was a blast and Barry was very classy. I am so sorry to hear this news and will miss that voice!

"My First, My Last, My Everything" is one of my top ten favorite jams.

Rest in peace, B.W. Your music will last forever...

NPD313 said:

That's not quite accurate. True, Luther appears to be out of his coma, but he is in a rehab facility, not at home and he certainly could not, at this point, be considered well. In fact, word is that it may be months, even years before he recovers to the point where he might be able to sing again. He's surprised us already, though, so he could surely do it again and come back sooner.

sad news indeed. well, with barry chillin' with God, there are some angels gettin' freaky right about now (and i mean that in the most respectful way...to both God and barry).

imnotsayinthisjust2bnasty said:

It's difficult to estimate just how many people had 'gotten freaky' to Barry's music during his lifetime. RIP

god bless

NPD313, I didn't know Luther came out of the coma, thanks for letting me know!

Our condonelces go out to the White family, he will truely be missed !! Let's just believe he is in a better place than us now !

Just heard about it last night here in the UK.Even though i never had any of his records i had respect for the man and it is indeed a sad day for those that love real music the world over.

Yea,

Didn't like his music much, but he was a great guy. High blood pressure is a killer. All my black brothers get a health check. So we can all funk for a long time. Peace.

Barry. 58 is too young.

I just got the news, y'all. This is a tragedy. The Icon of is gone. But his music and his message of love will last forever.

R.I.P. Barry White

hjd said:

That's sad ...But isn't Luther out of that coma?

it's certainly sad when anyone passes (let alone an entertainer).


but hey, that's what happens when you don't live right, eat right, and exercise right, and you're hundreds of pounds overweight.

but hey, that's what happens when you don't live right, eat right, and exercise right, and you're hundreds of pounds overweight that's just a silly thing to say, who do you fuckin think you are?
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[This message was edited Sat Jul 5 17:43:40 PDT 2003 by jn2]

I heard it on the radio last night and wasn't sure if I believed my ears. R.I.P. Barry White That voice was one of a kind!!!