Gordon Lightfoot Forums - View Single Post - Barry White Good-bye.

The Rez · 09-01-2007, 03:21 AM

Howdy All,

With this new format, the thread about Barry White's death just sorta appeared . . .
at least that's how it seemed to me.

I figure I'd share a few little ditties w/ ya 'bout the Big Man . . .

Waaaaaaaaay back in '65, Barry produced some records for our teenage group
The Rumblers. We'd been tagged w/ the *surf band* handle due to the success of
a record called BOSS. Really, we were just little white kids who'd rather be black. Barry gave us that chance.

When he released sides on Downey Records [California] we were the back-up band. Barry would bring friends in from Watts to sing back-up, so we all flat *cooked* Barry produced some Rumblers sides, too. One in particular - Feel Aw Right - has li' Rez singin, The Rumblers honkin', and Barry beatin' Holy Hell outta the upright grand.

You can hear Barry hollerin' his soon-to-be famous *SOUL BABY SOUL* thru the whole record. Downey Records put it out under Bel Cantos instead of The Rumblers, to get away from the *surf* identity.

Although it charted [low] in England, Feel Aw Right got beat out on Bandstand's Record Roulette thing by *We'll Sing in the Sunshine* Drag . . . no . . . Big Drag!

When sessions were done, I'd usually get the short straw to drive Barry back to Watts. A buddy would pick him up and take him on in. Barry said, "As long as I'm in the car w/ you, you'll be OK. But, a white boy drivin' alone in Watts at 3am aint a good thing."

You can find the records under either The Rumblers or BOSS. An album of 23 tunes [including BOSS thru Barry] is available on Amazon, and those kinda places. The *Barry* stuff and the Rumbers/Bel Cantos stuff is also available thru ACE Records
in England.

ACE recently did another compilation thing called *It Came from the Garge* [Nuggets from Southern California] Alec Palao and I contributed to the liner notes
of the English releases.

So, if ya wanna hear Barry White before he was BARRY WHITE - now you know where to go. We were all 18-19 then. That kid was an inspiration!

Swiped a lot-o-piano licks from him.

Lemme know whatcha think . . .

Rez

PS: Silly Family Remembers:

Mama has still never forgiven Barry for burnin' a hole in her couch w/ his stoggie during a break from rehearsin' in my garage.

Barry bough a '57 DeSoto from my father-in-law [to be] paid him $100 and that's
the last we saw of Barry White. When he hit Big Time he turned his back on
those Roots Times.

That was sad, but it never dimmed the Wonderment of The Music we made together.

He once was a buddy. Go forth w/ Joy and hear the li'l white boys and the big black boy get down! [I still do]

09-01-2007, 03:21 AM	#5
The Rez Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Balboa, CA, US of A Posts: 598	Re: Barry White Good-bye. Howdy All, With this new format, the thread about Barry White's death just sorta appeared . . . at least that's how it seemed to me. I figure I'd share a few little ditties w/ ya 'bout the Big Man . . . Waaaaaaaaay back in '65, Barry produced some records for our teenage group The Rumblers. We'd been tagged w/ the surf band handle due to the success of a record called BOSS. Really, we were just little white kids who'd rather be black. Barry gave us that chance. When he released sides on Downey Records [California] we were the back-up band. Barry would bring friends in from Watts to sing back-up, so we all flat cooked Barry produced some Rumblers sides, too. One in particular - Feel Aw Right - has li' Rez singin, The Rumblers honkin', and Barry beatin' Holy Hell outta the upright grand. You can hear Barry hollerin' his soon-to-be famous SOUL BABY SOUL thru the whole record. Downey Records put it out under Bel Cantos instead of The Rumblers, to get away from the surf identity. Although it charted [low] in England, Feel Aw Right got beat out on Bandstand's Record Roulette thing by We'll Sing in the Sunshine Drag . . . no . . . Big Drag! When sessions were done, I'd usually get the short straw to drive Barry back to Watts. A buddy would pick him up and take him on in. Barry said, "As long as I'm in the car w/ you, you'll be OK. But, a white boy drivin' alone in Watts at 3am aint a good thing." You can find the records under either The Rumblers or BOSS. An album of 23 tunes [including BOSS thru Barry] is available on Amazon, and those kinda places. The Barry stuff and the Rumbers/Bel Cantos stuff is also available thru ACE Records in England. ACE recently did another compilation thing called It Came from the Garge [Nuggets from Southern California] Alec Palao and I contributed to the liner notes of the English releases. So, if ya wanna hear Barry White before he was BARRY WHITE - now you know where to go. We were all 18-19 then. That kid was an inspiration! Swiped a lot-o-piano licks from him. Lemme know whatcha think . . . Rez PS: Silly Family Remembers: Mama has still never forgiven Barry for burnin' a hole in her couch w/ his stoggie during a break from rehearsin' in my garage. Barry bough a '57 DeSoto from my father-in-law [to be] paid him $100 and that's the last we saw of Barry White. When he hit Big Time he turned his back on those Roots Times. That was sad, but it never dimmed the Wonderment of The Music we made together. He once was a buddy. Go forth w/ Joy and hear the li'l white boys and the big black boy get down! [I still do] __________________ I came to Love the Music Before I came to Be [Psalm 139:13] Last edited by The Rez; 09-01-2007 at 03:41 AM.