Barry White’s DEADLY Mistake That Made Him A Hollywood Target.. | HO

White’s breakthrough as a producer came in 1972 when he discovered and produced a girl group called Love Unlimited. Modeled after the Motown girl group The Supremes, the members had honed their talents under White’s guidance for two years before signing contracts with Uni Records.

Barry White’s journey through the music industry was one marked by both incredible success and equally intense challenges. Known for his deep, resonant voice and romantic ballads, White became a staple of 1970s R&B and beyond. However, his rise to fame came with an inherent danger that would prove to be a deadly mistake — one that made him a target in the ruthless and cutthroat world of Hollywood.

Barry White was born on September 12, 1944, in Galveston, Texas. Raised in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles, White’s upbringing was far from glamorous. His early exposure to music came from his mother, who had a strong love for classical music. This influence was profound, as Barry soon found himself experimenting with the piano and learning the craft of music creation. Despite the rough environment around him, his love for music became a form of escape, a passion that would eventually propel him into the spotlight.

However, before becoming a legendary figure in the music world, White’s early life was full of struggles. At the age of 16, he was involved in a daring heist that resulted in his arrest. The crime involved the theft of $330,000 worth of Cadillac tires, a sum that would be equivalent to almost $300,000 in today’s currency.

This brush with the law was pivotal, as it marked a turning point in Barry’s life. During his time in prison, White found solace in music and experienced a profound transformation when he heard Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never” on the radio, an event that inspired him to leave behind his former lifestyle and pursue a career in music.

White’s musical career began in earnest when he joined various singing groups in the early 1960s. However, it was as a producer that he truly found his voice. In 1972, Barry White produced the album for the girl group Love Unlimited, marking the beginning of a series of successful records that would come to define his career.

White’s ability to blend lush orchestration with soulful R&B sounds led to hits like “Love’s Theme,” a track that reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts in 1974. But while his musical genius was undeniable, it was White’s ambitions in the business side of the music industry that would lead him down a dangerous path.

In an era dominated by white executives, Barry White made a bold decision to start his own record label, Unlimited Gold, under CBS Records. This move was a strategic way for White to gain control over his music, ensuring that his vision for his work would not be stifled by outside influences.

However, this decision would place him in direct conflict with the power structures that governed the music business at the time. In Hollywood, power was often exercised through manipulation, control, and greed. White, a Black man, had the audacity to challenge these structures, and it would not go unnoticed.

The music industry’s allure of glamour and success came with its own dangers, and White found himself up against forces that would try to undermine his success. As he gained more influence, he became more vocal about the greed and exploitation that pervaded the industry.

He spoke candidly about how record executives often prioritized profits over artistry, leaving musicians like himself at the mercy of corporate greed. In a 1983 interview, White expressed his disillusionment with the industry’s practices, particularly the way it profited off the talent and hard work of Black musicians. This disillusionment with the industry’s corruption marked a significant shift in White’s career.

But the deadly mistake that would make Barry White a target was his growing desire for control and independence in a system that thrived on domination and subjugation. White’s desire to do things on his own terms, his refusal to be controlled by the likes of powerful figures like Clive Davis, made him a dangerous figure in the eyes of the establishment. He wasn’t just another musician; he was a man who wanted to change the very nature of the industry. And for those in power, this kind of threat could not be ignored.

One of the most significant power players of the time was Clive Davis, the legendary music executive responsible for launching the careers of stars like Billy Joel, Patti Smith, and Barry Manilow. Davis was known for his ability to shape the careers of artists, but his methods were often controversial.

Davis was a man who demanded control over every aspect of an artist’s career, sometimes at the expense of their personal creativity and well-being. Barry White’s refusal to submit to this control was seen as a threat.

In his career, White encountered several challenges, some stemming from his independence and his refusal to fall in line with the status quo. His decision to speak out against the greed and exploitation of the industry only heightened the tension between him and the establishment. His ambition to make music on his own terms, free from the shackles of corporate manipulation, positioned him against some of the most powerful figures in Hollywood.

But perhaps the most dangerous aspect of Barry White’s decision to break free from the industry’s norm was the ripple effect it had on his personal life. As he became more vocal about the industry’s practices, he found himself increasingly isolated. The pressure began to mount on him from all sides, not just professionally, but personally. His health began to deteriorate, and the toll that the demands of the industry took on him became apparent. Despite his musical genius and commercial success, Barry White’s defiance in the face of Hollywood’s power brokers eventually led to his own undoing.

One of the most poignant aspects of Barry White’s story is the realization that in the pursuit of independence and artistic freedom, he paid a heavy price. His refusal to be controlled by the powers that be in the music industry left him vulnerable to their retribution. Barry White’s tragic final years were marked by declining health, and he passed away on July 4, 2003, from complications related to kidney failure.

In the end, Barry White’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the perils of greed and the price that must be paid when one challenges the established power structures. Despite the immense success and legendary status he achieved in the music world, Barry White’s tragic mistake was his attempt to carve out a space for himself in an industry that thrives on control, exploitation, and manipulation.

His legacy, however, lives on through the timeless music he created, music that continues to be celebrated for its depth, richness, and soulful resonance. The story of Barry White is one of triumph and tragedy, a tale of a man who defied the odds but ultimately paid a heavy price for his courage to challenge the system.