  barry white (born barry eugene carter;  â ), was an american composer and singer-songwriter. a 3-time grammy award-winner known for his distinctive bass-baritone voice and romantic image, white's 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, white achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. white had 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, with worldwide records sales in excess of 100 million, he is one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. his influences included rev. james cleveland, ray charles, aretha franklin, elvis presley plus motown artists the supremes, the four tops and marvin gaye. ==early life== barry white was born barry eugene carter in galveston, texas,[http://www.nndb.com/people/929/000023860
1944_births 2003_deaths A&M_Records_artists African-American_Christians African-American_male_singers African-American_record_producers African-American_singer-songwriters American_bandleaders American_basses American_dance_musicians American_people_convicted_of_theft American_rhythm_and_blues_singer-songwriters American_soul_singers Deaths_from_renal_failure Disease-related_deaths_in_California Grammy_Award-winning_artists Mercury_Records_artists Musicians_from_California People_from_Galveston,_Texas Private_Music_artists Stroke_survivors