The undisputed king of boudoir disco, a master of soul and popular R&B, White was also an accomplished multi-instrumentalist, a grade A producer, a singer-songwriter and arranger with impeccable credentials, White moved the sound of Motown and Holland-Dozier-Holland into the modern era. He scored so many hits, enjoyed so many Gold and Platinum discs (singles and albums) and took to the rostrum two times as a Grammy Award winner that it’s fair to say he is that rare thing, a true cultural icon. With combined worldwide record sales exceeding 100 million – a fat chunk of those in his lifetime – it’s a fact that Barry White is one of the world’s best-selling artists. Words: Max Bell