When you think of men in the music industry with a voice guaranteed to make the ladies swoon, one name always comes to mind, Barry White.  
White was born Barry Eugene Carter on Sept. 12, 1944, in Galveston, Texas, to a family of gospel singers. White made his recording debut playing piano on Jesse Belvin's "Goodnight My Love" when he was just 11. White's musical abilities led him to become one of the most accomplished and well known bass singers and a pioneer of disco music.

White released his first solo album, I’ve Got So Much to Give, in 1973. "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby," a song off the album, reached No. 1 on the Billboard R&B charts as well as No. 3 on the Billboard Pop charts in 1973.

White’s career would plateau in the ‘80s and peak again in the ‘90s. He released The Icon Is Love in 1994. It went to No. 1 on the Billboard R&B album charts, and the single "Practice What You Preach" gave him his first No 1. on the Billboard R&B singles chart in almost 20 years.
White’s contributions to music led him to be posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. White achieved 106 gold albums worldwide, 41 of which also attained platinum status. He is also a two-time Grammy winner.

White’s health began to fail in 1995. He was admitted to the hospital for high blood pressure related issues. White was hospitalized in 2002, suffering from kidney failure.

He died of a stroke in 2003 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles while waiting for a kidney transplant. 

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(Photo: REUTERS/Andrea ComasFiles /Landov)