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Today's artist is a three-time Grammy Award–winner known for his distinctive bass-baritone voice and romantic image, his greatest success came in the 1970s as a solo singer and with The Love Unlimited Orchestra, crafting many enduring soul, funk, and disco songs such as his two biggest hits, "You're the First, the Last, My Everything" and "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe". During the course of his career in the music business, he achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. He is one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. He was at home appearing on Soul Train, guesting with a full band on The Today Show, and appearing in cartoon form in various episodes of The Simpsons. . ..... N'joy

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Born in Galveston, TX, Barry White grew up singing gospel songs with his mother and taught himself to play piano. Shortly after moving from Texas to South Central Los Angeles, White made his recording debut at the tender age of 11, playing piano on Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love." He made his first record when he was 16 with a group called the Upfronts. The song was called "Little Girl" on a local L.A. label called Lummtone Records. Later he worked for various independent labels around Los Angeles, landing an A&R position with Bob Keane, the man responsible for the first pop recordings by Sam Cooke. One of his labels, Mustang, was hot at the time with a group called the Bobby Fuller Four in 1966. White was hired for 40 dollars a week to do A&R for Keane's family of labels: Del-Fi, Mustang and Bronco. During this time, White flirted with the idea of being a recording artist, making a record for Bronco called "All in the Run of a Day." But he chose to stick with his A&R duties. One of the first groups he worked with was the Versatiles who later changed their name to the 5th Dimension. White's first big hit came from an artist familiar to dancefloor denizens -- Viola Wills, whose "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" went Top 20 R&B. His salary went up to 60 dollars a week. White started working with the Bobby Fuller Four. Bob Keene and Larry Nunes -- who later became White's spiritual advisor and true friend -- wanted to cut a female act. White had heard about a singer named Felice Taylor. They had three hit records, "It May Be Winter Outside," "I'm Under the Influence of Love," and "I Feel Love Coming On." They were huge hits in England. White started making 400 dollars a week.

When Bronco went out of business, White began doing independent production. Those were some lean times for White. Veteran arranger Gene Page, who would later arrange or co-arrange White's hits, helped him out, giving him work and non-repayable loans. Then three years later, Paul Politti, who also worked at Bronco, contacted him to tell him that Larry Nunes was interested in starting a business with him. Nunes had started cutting tracks for a concept album he was working on. Meanwhile, White had started working with this girl group who hadn't done any singing professionally. They rehearsed for almost a year. White wrote "Walkin' in the Rain (With the One I Love)" with lyrics that were inspired by conversations with one of the singers, Glodean James (who would later become White's second wife). White christened the group Love Unlimited.

Larry Nunes took the record to Russ Regan, who was the head of the Uni label owned by MCA. Love Unlimited's From a Girl's Point of View became a million-seller. Soon after, Regan left Uni for 20th Century Records. Without Regan, White's relationship with Uni soured. With his relationship with Uni in chaos and Love Unlimited contract-bound with the label, White decided he needed to work with another act. He wanted to work with a male artist. He made three song demos of himself singing and playing the piano. Nunes heard them and insisted that he re-record and release them as a recording artist. They argued for days about it. Then he somehow convinced White to do it. White was still hesitating up to the time the label copy was made. He was going to use the name "White Heat," but the record became the first Barry White album. That first album was 1973's I've Got So Much to Give on 20th Century Records. It included the title track and "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby."

White got a release from Uni for Love Unlimited and they joined him over at 20th Century Records. Then he had a brainstorm for another concept album. He told Regan he wanted to do an instrumental album. Regan thought he had lost it. White wanted to call it the Love Unlimited Orchestra. The single, "Love's Theme," went to number one pop, was a million-seller, and was a smash all over the world. The song earned him a BMI award for over three million covers.

For the next five years, from 1974 to 1979, there was no stopping the Barry White Hit Train -- his own Stone Gon, Barry White Sings Love Songs for the One You Love ("It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me," "Playing Your Game Baby"), Let the Music Play (title track, "You See the Trouble with Me"), Just Another Way to Say I Love You ("I'll Do for You Anything You Want Me To," "Love Serenade"), The Man ("Your Sweetness Is My Weakness," "Sha La La Means I Love You," "September When We Met," a splendid cover of Billy Joel's "Just the Way You Are"), and Love Unlimited's In Heat ("I Belong to You," "Move Me No Mountain," "Share a Little Love in Your Heart," and "Love's Theme," with lyrics). He also scored a soundtrack for the 20th Century Fox film The Together Brothers, enjoying a resurgence on home video.

His studio band included such luminaries as guitarists Ray Parker, Jr. (pre-Raydio, co-writer with White on "You See the Trouble With Me"), bassist Nathan East, Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Dean Parks, Don Peake, bassist Wilton Felder of the Crusaders, Lee Ritenour, drummer Ed Greene, percussionist Gary Coleman, and later keyboardist Rahn Coleman. His hit streak seemed, well, unlimited. Then it all derailed. Russ Regan and another ally, Hosea Wilson, left 20th Century Records and White was left with management that he thought of in less than glowing terms.

White left after fulfilling his contract with two more album releases, Love Unlimited Orchestra's My Musical Bouquet and his own I Love to Sing the Songs I Sing. White signed a custom label deal with CBS Records. At the time it was touted as one of the biggest deals ever. He started a label called Unlimited Gold. The roster included White, Love Unlimited, the Love Unlimited Orchestra, Jack Perry, and a teenaged singer named Danny Pearson who charted with a song called "What's Your Sign Girl." He also did a duet album with Glodean James called Barry & Glodean. Aside from the gold album The Message Is Love, most of the albums weren't huge sellers. After eight Barry White albums, four Love Unlimited albums, four Love Unlimited Orchestra albums, constant touring, and dealing with the rigors of the music industry, White decided to take a break.

Then in 1992, White signed with A&M, releasing the albums The Man Is Back, The Right Night & Barry White, and Put Me in Your Mix (which contains a duet with Issac Hayes, "Dark and Lovely"). The Icon Is Love became his biggest-selling album since the '70s releases, going multi-platinum. It includes the platinum single "Practice What You Preach." The production lineup includes Gerald Levert and Tony Nicholas, his godson Chuckii Booker, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, and White and his longtime friend Jack Perry. While some later efforts buried his vocals in whiz-bang electronic effects, on The Icon Is Love, White's deep steam engine baritone pipes are upfront in the mix. Staying Power followed in 1999, showcased in the best tradition of soul music where the focus is the singer and the song. The album earned White two Grammys. White's career took him from the ghetto to international success with 106 gold and 41 platinum albums, 20 gold and ten platinum singles, with worldwide sales in excess of 100 million.

White, who suffered from hypertension and chronic high blood pressure, was hospitalized for kidney failure in September of 2002. He was undergoing dialysis treatment, but the combination of illnesses proved too much and he died July 4, 2003 at a West Hollywood hospital. By the time of his death, Barry White had achieved a near-universal acclaim and popularity that few artists achieve and even fewer within their own lifetime.

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Love Unlimited is the vocal trio who contributed cooing background vocals on Barry White's million-selling hits and sold-out concerts, as well as having their own gold single, "Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love," and a number one R&B smash, "I Belong to You." The trio consisted of sisters Glodean and Linda James and Diane Taylor. Glodean first met White, her future husband, through a mutual friend. She was a fan of White's before she even knew it, having bought Viola Wills' single "Lost Without the Love of My Guy," a song White co-wrote and arranged while he was an A&R director and producer with Bob Keene's Bronco Records.

White started working with the group, who hadn't done any professional singing. They rehearsed for almost a year. White wrote "Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love" with lyrics that were inspired by conversations with Glodean. White christened the group Love Unlimited. A friend of White's, Larry Nunes, took the record to Russ Regan, who was the head of the Uni label owned by MCA. "Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love," with White "phoning" in his part, went gold, peaking at number six R&B, number 14 pop on Billboard's charts. Love Unlimited's From a Girl's Point of View We Give You... album became a million-seller. Soon after, Regan left Uni for 20th Century Records. Without Regan, White's relationship with Uni soured.

White got a contractual release from Uni for Love Unlimited and they joined him at 20th Century. Their first singles for the label were "Oh Love, Well We Finally Made It" (a Top 40 R&B hit), "It May Be Winter Outside (But in My Heart It's Spring)," and "Under the Influence of Love" -- all from the LP Under the Influence, issued in summer 1973. White originally recorded the latter two songs with singer Felice Taylor. While working on material for the next Love Unlimited album, Glodean James suggested that White use the piano introduction from "Lost Without the Love of My Guy" on a new song. At first resistant to the idea, White relented and re-used the piano chord progression on "I Belong to You."

The majestic ballad, arranged by Gene Page, went to number one R&B in late 1974. It was included on the album In Heat, issued in fall 1974. It was Love Unlimited's most exciting album, featuring the same studio band heard on White's hits: guitarists Ray Parker, Jr. (Raydio, "Ghostbusters," co-writer with White on "You See the Trouble With Me"), Wah Wah Watson, Lee Ritenour, David T. Walker, Dean Parks, and Don Peake, bassists Nathan East and Wilton Felder of the Crusaders, drummer Ed Greene, and percussionist Gary Coleman. In Heat included the follow-up single "Share a Little Love in Your Heart" (number 21 R&B, spring 1975), and standout tracks "Move Me No Mountain," "I Needed Love - You Were There," a long version of "I Belong to You," and "Love's Theme" -- with lyrics!

After White left 20th Century, Love Unlimited recorded for White's CBS-distributed label Unlimited Gold, charting most notably with the steppers' favorite "High Steppin' Hip Dressin' Fella (You Got It Together)," number 45 R&B, fall 1979, from the LP Love Is Back. The married couple charted as Barry White and Glodean White with "Didn't We Make It Happen Baby" and "I Want You" in 1981, and recorded a full LP, Barry & Glodean.

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From a Girl's Point of View We Give You... is a cohesive album-length meditation on the highs and lows of love, delivered by a satiny girl group trio pillowed in one of the warmest production surroundings yet heard on a pop album -- courtesy of one Barry White. White and Love Unlimited had spent a year working up their material, and it shows: the nine songs hang together like few soul albums of the time. Opening with a subdued monologue by Glodean James, the album does take awhile to get to the best track and biggest hit; the last one here, "Walkin' in the Rain With the One I Love," became White's first big hit, complete with ambient rain noise and a tender telephone call between White and James (who were later to marry). "I'll Be Yours Forever More" and "If This World Were Mine" (the latter a beautiful Marvin Gaye cover) are what the Supremes would've sounded like if they'd had the material, the producers, the freedom, and the ambition to record a concept album in the late '60s. Barry White's arrangements are reminiscent of the mid-'60s Holland-Dozier-Holland sound, but with all the icy edges melted off and the driving drumwork coaxed into a mid-tempo crawl. The only flaw to From a Girl's Point of View We Give You... is that the other songs can't carry a candle to the three or four best selections -- though competently performed and seductively arranged, much of this concept record simply floats by.

Love Unlimited - From a Girl's Point of View We Give You    (flac 277mb)


01 I Should Have Known 4:51
02 Another Chance 2:51
03 Are You Sure 3:14
04 Fragile - Handle With Care 3:59
05 Is It Really True Boy - Is It Really Me 4:05
06 I'll Be Yours Forever More 3:34
07 If This World Were Mine 5:29
08 Together 3:10
09 Walking In The Rain With The One I Love 4:48
Bonus
10 It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring) 4:18
11 I Belong To You 5:10

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Love Unlimited's best albumwas In Heat. All of the right elements came together for the group and their mentor/producer, Barry White, who co-wrote most of the songs and did some arranging. The cornerstone of the album is the elegant ballad "I Belong to You." Arranged by Gene Page, the trio's biggest hit went to number one R&B and number 27 Pop on Billboard's charts in late 1974. The album version is longer than what's commonly heard on the radio. The luscious follow-up, "Share a Little Love in Your Heart," made it to number 21 R&B in spring 1975. The album brimmed with appetizing standout tracks: "Move Me No Mountain," "I Needed Love-You Were There," and a lyric-laced version of the perennial favorite "Love's Theme." Several tracks from In Heat are on 1997's Best of Love Unlimited.

Love Unlimited - In Heat    (flac  193mb)

01 Move Me No Mountain 3:55
02 Share A Little Love In Your Heart 5:53
03 Oh I Should Say, It's Such A Beautiful Day 3:30
04 I Needed Love - You Were There 3:47
05 I Belong To You 5:07
06 I Love You So, Never Gonna Let You Go 3:20
07 Love's Theme 3:59

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The press may have dubbed Barry White "the walrus of love," but he was certainly the guru of something for many star crossed lovers across his Love Unlimited Orchestra output. While White rocketed up the charts with his solo "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little Bit More" in 1973, it was that same year's smash single "Love's Theme" that shot Love Unlimited Orchestra right up alongside him. Mostly instrumental, all orchestral, and packed with "that" tchka tchka guitar and full-fledged disco sound well before the genre reached maturity, Rhapsody in White set the stage and showcased the sounds that would shortly inspire a generation of producers, arrangers, and performers to start a million mirror balls spinning the world over. This album, in all its admitted smarminess, is a triumph. From the opening bars of "Barry's Theme," Rhapsody in White unleashes a groove which really keeps it all mellow. And even though we have to listen through three tracks to first hear White's trademarked vocal come-on on "Midnight and You" it's well worth the wait. He gets a little more vocal on side two, across "Don't Take It All Away" and again at the beginning of "Baby Blues," which has shag rug in front of a fireplace written all over its arrangement. But the masterful finale, of course, is "Love's Theme." The song's lush strings and smooth wah-wah guitars not only typified a genre, they also became an aural catchphrase for an entire generation of clubbers. And because this is, underneath it all, a Barry White album, the teaser for the nightcap is delicious.

The Love Unlimited Orchestra - Rhapsody In White   (flac 238mb)

01 Barry's Theme 4:33
02 Rhapsody In White 3:59
03 Midnight And You 5:13
04 I Feel Love Coming On 6:26
05 Baby Blues 5:39
06 Don't Take It Away From Me 4:35
07 What A Groove 4:05
08 Love's Theme 4:07

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Barry White's soundtrack to the 1974 blaxploitation film Together Brothers doesn't match the quality of classic efforts like Curtis Mayfield's Superfly, Isaac Hayes' Shaft, or Marvin Gaye's Trouble Man, but it is an appealing and welcome release all the same. Mayfield's and Gaye's soundtracks, in particular, benefited from solid material throughout, whereas White's soundtrack does suffer from some plodding moments; "You Got Case" and "Stick Up" recycle past funk grooves, while the main theme "Somebody Is Gonna Off the Man" is ineffectively reconfigured throughout. An eerie, Morricone-style whistling and harp interlude on "Killer's Lullaby" intrigues at first but falters with a thin arrangement. The lightness of tone and many string-laden numbers on Together Brothers shouldn't be a surprise, though, since they reflect White's romantic soul style: ghetto streets flowing with champagne. In fact, on a majority of the tracks, White's spacious and silky arrangements and the Love Unlimited Orchestra's adroit backing are substantial enough to offset the album's weaker moments. The vocal version of "Somebody Is Gonna Off the Man" and the soundtrack's one hit "Honey, Please Can't You See" are classic examples of White's pop-soul style, while mood numbers like "So Nice to Hear" and "Can't Seem to Find Him" benefit from strong and varied arrangements; the latter features an effective three-way collage of funk, noir ambience, and orchestral bombast. Together Brothers is a must for dedicated White fans and a respectable title in the blaxploitation soundtrack catalog.

The Love Unlimited Orchestra - Together Brothers Soundtrack  (flac 277mb)

01 Somebody Is Gonna Off The Man 4:23
02 So Nice To Hear 2:40
03 Alive And Well 1:14
04 Find The Man Bros. 2:17
05 You Gotta Case 1:28
06 Killer's Lullaby 2:23
07 Theme From Together Brothers 2:51
08 Getaway 2:09
09 People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today (Instr.) 2:43
10 Somebody's Gonna Off The Man (Instr.) 4:21
11 The Rip 1:43
12 Stick Up 2:00
13 Dreamin' 0:44
14 Killer's Back 0:29
15 Do Drop In 2:33
16 Killer Don't Do It 1:54
17 Here Comes The Man 1:30
18 Dream On 1:35
19 Honey, Please Can't Ya See 2:22
20 Can't Seem To Find Him 4:23
21 People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today 2:40

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