Barry White and Erin...

There’s people making babies to my music, that’s nice
Barry White

Stone Gon’ (1973) signed by Barry — ***Stone Gon’ (1973)*** signed by Barry

Barry White, soul singer, pianist and songwriter, was reared in the very tough South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles. Barry saw his younger brother die from gang related activities, and he spent time in jail when he was only seventeen for theft - $30,000 in Cadillac tires and hubcaps. Admittedly, that’s a lot of tires and hubcaps! When Barry emerged from jail, he dedicated his life to music. Some life. Some music. He went on to sell over one hundred million records worldwide and is a music icon.

Can’t Get Enough (1974) signed by Barry — ***Can’t Get Enough (1974)*** signed by Barry

I saw him twice and he was an incredible performer. The first show was at the Painters Mill Theater in 1990, an obscure venue in suburban Baltimore (Owings Mills) with seats for maybe fifteen-hundred. Barry had just released The Man Is Back! and he was promoting it as part of a comeback tour. Erin and I took our seats in the fifth row. An orchestra of forty-plus women in silk pajamas made their way to the stage carrying their instruments. Then, Barry White joined them wearing similar garb. It was theater in the round, and the stage began to rotate as the show started. After his opening song, Barry stopped his performance, and requested the stage to stop moving. "I know how to work a crowd" he said curtly. The stage stopped directly in front of us, and he sang all of his hits in his basso profundo voice, and the juke joint was jumpin', and groovin’. Then he sat down at the grand piano and played "Goodnight My Love" so beautifully and lyrically. I was reminded that he started his career as a session pianist and played on Jesse Belvin's original 1956 hit recording of "Goodnight My Love."

***Just Another Way To Say I Love You (1978) signed by Barry***

After the show, Erin split for the backstage area. For almost all shows (and we've seen thousands), she has been my witting accomplice and much better half. In fact, many artists (not surprisingly) prefer her comely company. As Frank Sinatra taught me years ago, decolletage wins. Always. Along the way, similar lessons were taught by James Brown, Solomon Burke, and Les McCann, but those are stories for another day.

***Rhapsody In White (1974) signed by Barry***

Erin disappeared with Barry in his dressing room for probably twenty minutes. A very long twenty minutes. When she emerged, she had the albums signed in gold pen. And some stories. She told me that Barry's niece was on the Rhapsody In White album cover near the pool with the slit dress way past her thigh. Nice dress, some niece. Barry wouldn't sign the No Limit On Love album, because he had a dispute with the Scepter record label and they released it without his permission. He was angry. Not the first time an artist had been cheated in royalties and certainly not the last.

No Limit On Love (1974) unsigned — ***No Limit On Love (1974)*** unsigned

Five years later, we saw Barry again at the Nissan Pavilion, a much larger venue in Virginia. He had a similar orchestra of young women in silk pajamas. But this time, Barry upped the ante. During "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe", two twelve foot martini glasses were rolled out from backstage, and two scantily clad dancers were ensconced in the glasses. There were twenty-five thousand fans writhing to his pulsating groove. Yes Barry, I am sure they were making babies that night. The man is back indeed!

Nobody lived larger than Barry White, or sang deeper and better.

Choice Barry White Cuts (per BKs request)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIJJAU2YAPU

“Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe” Can’t Get Enough 1974

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SA6yZON8ufQ

“Bring Back My Yesterday” I’ve Got So Much To Give 1972

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5zP7eQltDE

“Never Gonna Give You Up” live 1974

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8Hw6yAaeBw

“Love’s Theme” live Mexico City 1976

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ftG9-U2sSwA

“Honey Please, Can’t Ya See” Stone Gon’ 1973