Celebrated soul crooner Barry White dies of kidney failure at 58

Jet, July 21, 2003

Barry White, the strong and gentle-sounding baritone whose velvety voice soothed several generations of fans, especially females, has died. He was 58.

White, known lovingly as the Walrus of Love, Buddha of the Bedroom and the Sultan of Soul, died at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles where he had been a patient since last September when he suffered kidney failure. He had been on dialysis and had suffered from hypertension.

White, a singer, songwriter, producer and arranger, has been described as one of the architects of the disco craze of the 1970s with the release of his instrumental hit Love's Theme in 1973 with the Love Unlimited Orchestra.

His deep, yet silky smooth voice thrilled millions with such hits as Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe, I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby, Practice What You Preach and You're My First, the Last, My Everything. His eroticism came to the forefront with the deeply sensuous It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me and Never Never Gonna Give You Up.

Even in the 1990s, his music appeared in television and movies when sensuality was called for. The L.A. Times reminded readers that the hit TV show "Ally McBeal" used White's music and occasionally White himself, as a motivator for one of the show's character's romantic endeavors.

He also told the paper that his private life was very normal, not wild and erotic, as some had envisioned.

"People are always looking for me to be a freak, weird," he told the paper. "What does Barry White do when he relaxes? I play video games. I love my fish. I stay home. I spend time with my children. I'm not a party animal."

Born in Galveston, TX, White was raised in South Los Angeles where his life was touched by the area's violence. His brother Darryl was killed in a street shooting and White landed in jail at the age of 16 for car theft. He had burglarized houses, drank and became involved in numerous fights in a gang-infested area.

White described the tumult, pain and triumphs of his life in his 1999 autobiography Love Unlimited, Insight on Life and Love.

Music, he often said, helped turn his life around. He learned piano from his mother and he sang in his church choir. White made his recording debut in 1965 under the name Lee Barry. He made several records, but, according to the Times, wanted to be involved behind-the-scenes.

He worked with Diane Taylor and sisters Glodean and Linda James, who were called Love Unlimited and produced the group's big hit Walking in the Rain With the One I Love in 1972.

He had previously married a high school sweetheart and had four children, but divorced and, several years later, married Glodean. White and Glodean eventually separated but never divorced.

Like a number of 1970s artists, his career had a slight downside in the 1980s. But when dance music and romantic ballads came back into vogue, White was exposed to a brand new generation of fans. His 1994 album The Icon Is Love was a major hit as was the huge single Practice What You Preach. That single was his first No. 1 hit in 17 years.

In addition to "Ally McBeal," he also appeared on "The Simpsons."

White waged a public boycott of the Grammy Awards for several years, protesting the fact that he was snubbed in 1974 in favor of Bette Midler as Best New Artist. In 2000 he finally got his Grammy (two in fact) for the single Staying Power.

His songs and albums sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and he had 10 platinum singles.

On the heels of his major resurgence, White began having health problems that had started with high blood pressure.

White is survived by wife Glodean, girlfriend Catherine Denton, and children--La Nece, Deniece, Nina, Shehera, Bridget, Barry Jr., four-week-old Barriana along with Darrell and McKevin, stepson and son of Glodean, and numerous grandchildren.

At JET press time, funeral services were pending.