Barrence Whitfield

**Barrence Whitfield** (born Barry White, June 13, 1955) is an American soul and R&B vocalist, best known as the frontman for Barrence Whitfield & the Savages. White was born in Jacksonville, Florida. When he was a child, his family moved to East Orange, New Jersey, where he began singing in a gospel choir. While attending West Side High School he sang and played drums in rock, prog-rock, and funk bands. In 1977, White enrolled at Boston University to study journalism. While in school, he worked in a record shop in Brookline, Massachusetts named Good Vibrations, where his singing was heard by musician Peter Greenberg of The Lyres. White adopted the stage name Barrence Whitfield to avoid being mistaken for superstar Barry White and began performing with Greenberg and former members of the Lyres as Barrence Whitfield & the Savages.

## Links to Kershaw

In 1984, the band released their self-titled debut album, mostly comprising cover versions of obscure soul and R&B songs. It received good critical reviews. The following year, they released a second album, Dig Yourself, on Rounder Records. Their music was heard by English radio DJ Andy Kershaw, who taped a Boston performance for airplay in Britain, and brought them to the UK for a tour. Kershaw constantly played their music on his shows and included their track, Walkin' With Barrence on his Great Moments Of Vinyl History compilation album.

## Sessions

1. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 20 November 1986

* Girl From Outer Space / The Apology Line / I Don't Dig Your Noise

2. Recorded: 1987-02-19. First Broadcast: 19 February 1987

* Brainwashed / Juicy Fruit / Runnin' And Hidin' / Madhouse / Iron Curtain

3. Recorded: 1991-04-14. First Broadcast: 28 April 1991

* Juicy Fruit / There's A Hole In My Heart And My Love Leaked Out / The Doctor Knows His Business / Dust On My Needle

4. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 12 December 1992

* Ooh Wee / Long Black Train / Stupidity / You Give Good Loving

5. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 15 January 1994. Repeated: 16 April 1994

* unknown titles / Doctor Knows His Business / Dust On My Needle

6. Recorded: 1994-10-16. First Broadcast: 27 November 1994

* Telegram / Be Mine / Georgia Slop / Love Whip

7. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 12 May 1997

* unknown titles

8. Recorded: unknown. First Broadcast: 21 January 1999

* Bloody Mary/Be Mine / Haley's Comet / Brass Buttons / Georgia Slop/Caveman

## Live

Recorded at International Club, Manchester, 20th December 1986. Broadcast: 23 April 1987

1. set largely unknown except for Georgia Slop / Mama Get The Hammer

## Other Shows Played

1985
* 31 August 1985: Walking With Barrence
* 07 November 1985: Cotton Picking
* 19 December 1985: Ship Sails At Six
* 26 December 1985: Be Bop Bip (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou

1986
* 27 March 1986: Juicy Fruit (LP - Dig Yourself) Rounder
* 10 April 1986: Breadbox (LP - Dig Yourself) Rounder
* 05 June 1986: Geronimo's Rock (LP - Dig Yourself) Rounder
* 21 August 1986: Miss Shake It (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 20 October 1986 (John Peel): Go Ahead And Burn (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 22 October 1986 (John Peel): Ship Sailed At Six (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 29 October 1986 (John Peel): Mama Get The Hammer (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 11 December 1986: I Don't Dig Your Noise
* 11 December 1986: The Girl From Outer Space

1987
* 01 January 1987: Walking With Barrence (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 23 April 1987: Georgia Slop
* 23 April 1987: Mama Get The Hammer
* 25 June 1987: Apology Line (LP - Call Of The Wild) Rounder Europa
* 13 August 1987: Stop Twistin' My Arm (LP - Ow! Ow! Ow!) Rounder

1989
* 10 December 1989: Bip Bop Bip (album - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Fan Club

1991
* 10 February 1991: Let's Lose It
* 03 March 1991: My Mumblin' Baby (album - Let's Lose It) New Rose
* 21 April 1991: Dust On My Needle

1992
* 08 August 1992: Hole In My Heart (CD - Savage Tracks) New Rose
* 03 October 1992: Mercy Mercy
* 21 November 1992: Juicy Fruit (CD - Savage Tracks) New Rose
* 05 December 1992: Hole In My Heart (CD - Savage Tracks) New Rose

1993
* 24 July 1993: Long Black Train (CD - Hillbilly Voodoo) Round Tower Music
* 11 September 1993: Jack Russell
* 27 November 1993: Pony Time (v/a CD - Celebrating The Music Of Don Covay ‎– Back To The Streets) Shanachie

1994
* 08 October 1994: Walking With Barrence (LP - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Mamou
* 08 October 1994: Be Mine (CD - Ritual Of The Savages) Demon
* 15 October 1994: Stupidity (CD - Ritual Of The Savages) Demon
* 12 November 1994: Much Later For You
* 12 November 1994: Telegram
* 12 November 1994: Shoot Me Through The Heart

2004
* 26 December 2004: Jacko Johnson (CD - Hillbilly Voodoo) Round Tower

2005
* 08 May 2005: Mama Get The Hammer (CD - Barrence Whitfield & The Savages) Fan Club

2021
* Andy Kershaw Podcast Episode 10: Bip Bop Bip (album - Barrence Whitfield And The Savages) Ace

## External Links

* Wikipedia
* Discogs