CAIRO – 12 September 2017: September 12 marks the birthday of late Grammy-award winning American pop singer Barry White, famous for hits such as “Can’t Get Enough of Your Love Baby”.
He was born in Texas in 1944, yet White was raised in Los Angeles, where the musical culture helped light a spark in his soul. Originally producing music under the name of ‘Barry Lee’, White also worked behind the scenes as a producer, guiding the careers of singers such as Felice Taylor.
In the 1960s, he worked as a session musician and was an A&R man for some time for an independent LA label, scouting out fresh new talent with promise. During this time, he discovered three female vocalists and formed ‘Love Unlimited’, writing and producing one of their biggest hits, “Walking in the Rain (With the One I Love)” in 1972.
A year later White made a name for himself as a singer, with Love Unlimited working alongside him as his backup vocalists. He took the 70s by storm, delighting audience all over the world with his deep, alluring voice and lyrics about love and sex. He earned himself nicknames such as ‘The Maestro’ and ‘The Walrus of Love’
Singing aside, White also starred in 1975’s “Coonskin”, a raunchy animated comedy by director Ralph Bakshi that satirized race relations in America. He also produced the soundtrack for 1974’s “Together Brothers”.
The end of the 70s saw a drop in White’s once popular image, though he would return to grace in the 1990’s, riding on the waves of nostalgia. He produced albums such as "Put Me in Your Mix" and "The Icon Is Love," which was a major hit for the once forgotten singer. He even had a cameo in “The Simpsons”, playing as a celebrity guest star.
Unfortunately, White passed away on July 4, 2003, from a stroke caused by complications from kidney surgery.
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