Soul singer/producer Barry White died of kidney failure on July 4 at the age of 58. He had long been battling the disease from chronic high blood pressure and suffered a stroke in last September. He was hoping to recover from illness so that he could receive a kidney transplant. The Maestro of Love has brought us a string of smooth romantic music during his thirty-year career.

Born Sept. 12, 1944 in Galveston, Texas, White grew up in the inner-city Los Angeles. Taking up the piano in early childhood, he joined a Baptist church choir, singing and playing the instrument. While having a deep love and a talent for music, Barry and his younger brother Darryl, though, belonged to a local gangbanger and Barry was once arrested for stealing tires. Stunned by Elvis Presley song 'It's Now Or Never' he heard behind bars, Barry made up his mind to pursue a musical career to get out of the gang life.

During the '60s, he made several recordings under his own names "Barry Lee" with such groups as The Upfronts, The Atlantics and The Majestics. Hoping to be a creator and producer instead of singer, he began writing songs and formed the female trio Love Unlimited, which included his future second wife James. The group scored a smash 'Walking In The Rain With The One I Love' in 1972, which White produced and featured his deep voice for the first time. The song propelled him to stardom as a sought-after producer and helped usher in the era of disco music. The next year, he launched a solo career with 'I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Baby'. The year 1973-74 saw the height of his career as he released a string of hit albums 'I've Got So Much To Give', his sophomore 'Stone Gon', which featured a soul classic 'Never Never Gonna Give You Up', and his first chart-topping album 'Can't Get Enough', which included his signature hits 'Can't Get Enough Of Your Love' and 'You're The First, The Last, My Everything'.

Next to Love Unlimited and his solo career, came his third project, Love Unlimited Orchestra. The 40-piece orchestra, conducted by White himself, had a No.1 pop hit in 1973 with string-laden 'Love's Theme'. During the session of the group's debut album 'Rhapsody In White', perfectionist White is said to have employed five guitarists - Ray Parker Jr., Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Don Peake and Lee Ritenour among those - and blended their parts perfectly with his musical magic. The orchestra members once included young saxophonist Kenny G.

After the successful 1970s, White apparently burned out and all but disappered from the scene before returning with 'The Right Night And Barry White' in 1987. His second prime kicked off with his '94 album 'The Icon Is Love', on which he succeeded in mixing his trademark vocal and style with contemporary music with the assistance from Jam & Lewis and Gerald Levert. During the period, he became a pop icon, as featured on the TV series 'Ally Mcbeal' and animated TV series 'The Simpsons'. In 2000, White received two Grammys for best male and traditional R&B vocal performance for the song 'Staying Power'.

Barry White had numerous musical strengths - lush string arrangements, a deft songwriting ability, a distinctive rich bass vocals and seductive pillow-talk lyrics all setting the perfect mood for lovers' bedtime. Though the Maestro has gone, his romantic music will stay in power as ever.