His voice was unmistakeable. His intention was undeniable. When you would hear one of Barry Eugene Carter's songs, better known to us and Barry White, you knew love was in the air. White spent over 40 years singing and writing love songs, selling over 100 millions albums for generations to enjoy until his death in 2003.
"I'm a servant by nature," says White. "I give you inspiration for your romantic evening. That's why my songs are so long. If I create one that I think you might like, I want to make sure you get enough of it so you don't have to keep playing over all the time."
"My childhood was very naughty," admits White. "Drugs, gang banger, fighting. I was in jail. But as you get older you learn that you must put away childish things and that's what Barry White did."
According to a 1987 interview, Barry was talking to his mother and thats when everything changed, literally. "I was 14 years old and in my mother's room talking to my mother. My voice started to rattle and shake and she looked and me and I looked and her and she smiled and said 'aww, my baby has become a man.' And the very next day my facial hair started to grow and the rest is history."
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Known for being the catalyst of love, the Love Buddha or the hundreds other nicknames given to Barry White, here's a few tips he has for those wanting to make a love connection.
Set the Mood
When you want to set the mood, a romantic song is a must. Play one of Barry's personal favorite songs and watch the sparks fly:
"Never Gonna Give You Up"
"My First, My Last, My Everything"
"Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe"
"Practice What You Preach"
"Sho You Right"
"It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me"
The Way to His Heart
What does Barry suggest when romance is on the menu? Very small portions of a
few foods you know your lover likes. On his grocery shopping list:
- lobster, hors d'oeuvres style
- salad of assorted baby greens, lightly seasoned with olive oil and vinegar
- assortment of bread and butter
- assortment of raw vegetables
- strawberries dipped in chocolate
Get His Attention
For Barry, a woman is most attractive when she is "well-spoken, intelligent and stylish -- without being flashy" and doesn't overdo the perfume. But, he says, all men are different. "Not every man is looking for the same thing in a woman."
Another aspect of Barry's life that we can learn from is his death. White was overweight for most of his adult life—weighing 375 pounds and suffered from related health problems. In October 1995, he was admitted to a hospital as a result of high blood pressure. In August 1999, White was forced to cancel approximately a month's worth of tour dates owing to exhaustion, high blood pressure, and a hectic schedule. In September 2002, he was hospitalized with kidney failure attributed to chronic diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.
While undergoing dialysis and awaiting a kidney transplant in May 2003, he suffered a severe stroke, which forced him to retire from public life. At around 9:30 a.m. PST on July 4, 2003, 29 years to the day that he married his wife, White died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles at the age of 58. His remains were cremated, and the ashes were scattered by his family off the California coast.
MUST READ: 9 Ways To Protect Your Kidneys
Kidneys help filter waste products from the blood. They are also involved in regulating blood pressure, electrolyte balance, and red blood cell production in the body.
Symptoms of kidney failure are due to the build-up of waste products in the body that may cause weakness, shortness of breath, lethargy, and confusion. Inability to remove potassium from the bloodstream may lead to abnormal heart rhythms and sudden death. Initially kidney failure may cause no symptoms, that's what makes it so scary.
There are numerous causes of kidney failure, and treatment of the underlying disease may be the first step in...
... correcting the kidney abnormality.
If the kidneys fail completely, like in White's case, the only treatment options available may be kidney transplant.
Some things to prevent kidney failure are:
- Control your blood glucose levels: A1C needs to be less than 7 percent
- Control your blood pressure: aim for lower than 130/80
- Control of lipids: LDL (“bad”) cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dl, HDL (“good”) cholesterol should be above 50 mg/dl and triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl
- No cigarette smoking
- Knowing earlier the better: That means go in for regular checkups to keep abreast of your health.
Over a four-decade career, White sold more than 100 million records, earned dozens of gold and platinum albums and won two Grammy Awards. His buttery baritone was musical Viagra and he reveled in his reputation as the Godfather of Love, never apologizing for his shamelessly romantic material.
"There's not a better subject in the world to talk about," White said in a 1999 interview. "Everybody's still doing it, baby, and it hasn't gone out of style.
