Lari White Artist Singer Songwriter Passes Away at age 52

The Tennessean reported that Lari White, a songwriter, singer, producer and actor, died Tuesday morning (Jan 23, 2018).

She was 52 years old, and had been diagnosed with advanced peritoneal cancer in September 2017.

Last week, she entered hospice.

Life Note: Recently Lari was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer. The Singer/songwriter Lari White (Cannon) was battling cancer and receiving treatment. Friends and fans were encouragement to donate at P.O. Box 218138, Nashville, TN 37221 and additionally, a GoFundMe page was set up for the family.

White's mother had given fans an update on her daughter's battle revealing White had been admitted to hospice care. Her mother seemed hopeful about a new round of proposed treatments in a post to Caring Bridge on Sunday (Jan. 14), but by Friday (Jan. 19) the news had very sadly turned bleak.

Birth name: Lari Michele White

Born: May 13, 1965

Origin: Dunedin, Florida

Died: January 23, 2018 (aged 52)

Genres: Country Soul

Lari, age 52, first gained attention as the winner of the 1988 talent competition, "You Can Be A Star," which aired on The Nashville Network (TNN).

She initially signed to RCA Records and later joined Lyric Street Records; her singles included "That's My Baby," "That's How You Know (When You're In Love)," and "Now I Know."

Her vocal collaborators on disc included Rodney Crowell, Toby Keith, Hal Ketchum, Trisha Yearwood, Shelby Lynne, Travis Tritt, Vince Gill, Faith Hill and Radney Foster.

In 1994, White had a major role in the CBS-TV movie XXX’s And OOO’s.

White’s second RCA album, 1994’s WISHES, made her a country star. It became a Gold Record and yielded her first top-10 hits.

Her 1997 Best Of Lari White CD included her hit duet with Travis Tritt “Helping Me Get Over You,” which they co-wrote.

Albums

LEAD ME NOT (RCA) - 1993                

WHITE ON WHITE (RCA) - 1993 - #24 Billboard Top Country Albums | GOLD certified Released JUNE 14, 1994; Gold (May 15, 1995); 0.5 Million units            

WISHES (RCA) -1994               

DON'T FENCE ME IN (RCA) 1996 - #53 Billboard Top Country Albums

STEPPING STONE (Lyric Street Records) 1998 - #50 Billboard Top Country Albums

GREEN EYED SOUL (Skinny WhiteGirl Records) 2003

OLD FRIENDS, NEW LOVES (2-CD; Skinny WhiteGirl Records) 2017    

Singles

1994: "That's My Baby" #10 Hot Country Songs

1994: "Now I Know" #5 Hot Country Songs

1995: "That's How You Know (When You're in Love)" #10 Hot Country Songs (feat. harmony vocal from Hal Ketchum)

1998: "Stepping Stone" #16 Hot Country Songs

Lari White returned to acting via a plumb role in the 2000 Tom Hanks movie Cast Away. Then she was featured in the Kate Jackson indie feature of 2004, No Regrets.

Watch late country singer Lari White's pivotal scene in Tom Hanks' 'Cast Away' https://t.co/IGcqGtDRrm pic.twitter.com/w3om0jDuJr

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) 24 January 2018

She issued her R&B effort, GREEN EYED SOUL, in 2004, and it became especially successful in the UK.

Lari White performing “Nothing But Love" (writer: Lari White, Kimmie Rhodes, Kevin Savigar) (May 2004) TOTP2 UK Performance

So sorry to hear about Lari White - here she is from a @hagenmark produced TOTP2 https://t.co/BM7xmibe3q

— Bob Harris Country (@BHarrisCountry) 23 January 2018

She co-produced Toby Keith's 2006 White Trash With Money.

She launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund her 2016 double album OLD FRIENDS NEW LOVES. One CD contained re-recordings of her hits and the other compiled her new songs.

In February of last year, White's OLD FRIENDS, NEW LOVES double-EP collection commemorated her 25th anniversary as a recording artist. Guest vocalists on the project included Delbert McClinton, Suzy Bogguss and Lee Roy Parnell, with Charlie Worsham contributing mandolin to the track "In God's Hands."

As a songwriter, White had tunes cut by Toby Keith, Patti Page, Pat Green, Danny Gokey and Sarah Buxton, among others. In 2014, she produced The Shoe Burnin': Stories of Southern Soul, a CD compilation combined with a book of short stories by various authors, including White herself.

White is survived by her husband, Chuck Cannon, and their three children.

TRIBUTES

Hit Singer-Songwriter Lari White Passes - Music Row

Country Singer Lari White Dies at 52 - Billboard

Lari White, 'Now I Know' Country Singer and Actress, Dead at 52 - Rollingstone

Travis Tritt: I’m extremely saddened by the passing of my friend Lari White. She was so talented and a joy to write and record with. My heart goes out to all of Lari’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time.

ACM Awards: We are incredibly saddened to hear about the passing of singer, songwriter and ACM Top New Female Vocalist nominee Lari White. 

Jamie O'Neal - I just heard the heartbreaking news that Lari White passed away RIP Lari you are already missed but your legend lives on forever

Michelle Wright - This is so heartbreaking. May you RIP Lari.

Suzy Bogguss - Such a sad day... "Saying Goodbye To A Friend" Lari White passed on today. She was a tremendous talent and such a bright spirit. I am grateful to have had her friendship. She fought cancer like a warrior. Lari, I will hold the memory of your shining green eyes always and the sound of your beautiful voice bluesy and soulful! My heart is breaking for Chuck and their kids and all all of Lari's family and dearest folks. https://www.instagram.com/p/BeTg2Ftl_l3/

Charlie Daniels: Condolences to the family of Lari White. Rest in peace Mam Music City will miss you.

Gary Levox (Rascal Flatts): My heart is so sad today for the passing of Lari White. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends. Country music has lost a pioneer and a dear friend. #RIP

Bryan White: Deeply saddened at the loss of Lari White (@skinnywhitegirl) She was a mountain of talent. Artist, writer, producer; the whole package. 1 of the best singing voices ever 2 grace Country Music and a good soul. Prayers 4 Chuck and family #RIPLariWhite

The Oak Ridge Boys: Saddened by the death of Lari White.... RIP singing girl

Gretchen Peters: Indeed. So sad to wake up to this news.

WSMradio: We’re mourning the loss of our sweet friend, the talented Lari White. She was a frequent visitor to the station, and we’ll certainly miss hearing her beautiful voice.  https://twitter.com/WSMradio/status/955919019655286784

Erin Enderlin: It just seems wrong to be on social media today without taking a moment to recognize this wonderful talent

Live! At Jelley's JamRoom: Published on Jan 23, 2018

Lari White celebrates 25 years of music with Double-disc EP out Feb 10

LARI WHITE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS OF MUSIC WITH OLD FRIENDS, NEW LOVES  

Double-disc EP Marks White's First All-new Music Release in 13 Years 

Kickstarter-funded Project Available for Purchase on February 10, 2017;

Pre-sale Orders Available Today at iTunes UK, iTunes US,  and Amazon UK,  Amazon.com

Nashville, Tenn (January 10, 2017)

Grammy® Award-winning vocalist, movie (Cast Away) and Broadway actress, published author, hit songwriter and history-making record producer, Lari White, is marking 25 years as a recording artist as she prepares to release an all-new double-disc EP, Old Friends, New Loves. The project, White's first release in 13 years (since May 2004’s Green Eyed Soul), was made possible thanks to a very successful Kickstarter campaign (177 backers pledged $28,048 to help bring this project to life.).

The album will be available for purchase on February 10, 2017.  

"It was all my wonderful fans who contributed to a Kickstarter campaign that allowed me to make this album," White says. "This is the first recording I've done where the fans are the record label. They backed the project and I reported directly to them on every little detail, giving them control room access during the whole process."

Recorded at The Holler, White's landmark Nashville recording studio, friends and fellow stars Delbert McClinton, Suzy Bogguss, Lee Roy Parnell and other long-time collaborators from her earliest days as a country star make special guest appearances on the album.  The first disc, Old Friends, is highlighted by rootsy reinventions of White's breakout hits like "Lead Me Not," "That's How You Know When You're In Love" and "That's My Baby." The second, New Loves, features White's recently penned originals and favorite covers, a rich stew of Americana, soul, jazz and country songs, featuring guests Shawn Mullins and bass legend Victor Wooten.

White, a devoted wife and mother, has spent the majority of the last 10 years home-schooling her three children.  She explains, "Over the last decade, I've been keeping my work close to The Holler primarily as a record producer.  It just so happens that my 25-year anniversary coincides with the end of my home-schooling years and marks renewed freedom!"

"My fans have followed me the whole way on this crazy, creative journey," shares White. "We love music and we love storytelling, and we don't let ourselves be limited by rules about genre or medium or 'brand' for God's sake. The only rule is that it's honest. And I honestly LOVE country and jazz and soul and movies and literature and photography and any art that moves the human spirit to a good place."

"I can hardly believe I've been lucky enough to make music my entire life," says White. "Sharing my music-making process is one way I can say 'Thank YOU!' to the fans who have made it possible for an amazing 25 years!"

Pre-sale orders are available

Old Friends, New Loves Track Listing:

CLICK to ENLARGE artwork

Disc A / Old Friends

8 Tracks/ Time: Country/ Folk Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Rootsy reinventions of my biggest hits, songs like “That’s My Baby” and “That’s How You Know When You’re In Love” but naked and personal, just the way you like ‘em.

1.  Wishes

2.  That's My Baby

3.  Lead Me Not

4.  Now I Know

5.  That's How You Know

6.  If You Only Knew

7.  Eden Before The Fall

8.  Bare

Disc B / New Loves

7 Tracks/ Time: 30:29 Country/ Indie & Alternative

Amazon UK - UK iTunes - Amazon.com

Some of my favorite new songs I’ve written and covered in the last few years, songs like “Champagne” which has become a big hit at my live shows. 

1.  Who's To Blame

2.  Kisses and Wine

3.  Maybe It's Love

4.  Moonshine

5.  In God's Hands

6.  Down So Low

7.  Champagne

  

About Lari White

Lari White crosses all creative boundaries as an award-winning recording artist, hit songwriter and producer, indie record label owner, and actress.  Her music has earned three Grammy® Awards (The Apostle Soundtrack and Amazing Grace 1 and 2: A Country Tribute), and RIAA Gold (Wishes/RCA Records).  

Although her Nashville-based recordings garnered country radio hits and fans, her GREEN EYED SOUL album on her indie label, Skinny WhiteGirl Records, was hailed by the London Times as the best soul album of the year.  

White made music history as the first female producer of a male superstar, producing Toby Keith's platinum album White Trash with Money. Her production of Shawn Mullins' My Stupid Heart album garnered universal praise. 
As a songwriter, her credits include Tammy Wynette, Toby Keith, Lonestar, Danny Gokey, and Pat Green.  She appeared opposite Tom Hanks in the blockbuster movie Cast Away, and has starred in films for Lifetime TV and CMT.  She made her critically-acclaimed Broadway debut originating the role of June in Ring Of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. White has sung with the NY Pops, Boston Pops, and the Atlanta and Nashville Symphonies, and recently launched her popular online vocal course through ArtistWorks.com.

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