Feared and respected, Barry White and his brother Darryl dominated the streets of their Southeast LA neighborhood, feeling invincible. But invincibility is a fragile tune, and Barry would soon hear a cell block door clang.
That day, White promised himself that after he got out, he would never be involved in street life again. But it was tough. White worked sales jobs, shilling toys and newspapers to support himself, his high school sweetheart, and their two kids. But then, his breakthrough moment came.
In the mid-1960s, White’s ear for talent made him a force as a scout for the recording industry. Eventually, he decided to take a chance on becoming a singer himself. In 1973, he released his first solo album, “I've Got So Much to Give,” and give he did, blessing the industry with his velvet vocals.
Barry White knew the streets don’t get you anywhere “but old.” And like him, it’s always time to turn our lives and our talents into a joyful act of liberation.