Grammy-winning country singer Lari White passed away Tuesday morning after a brief battle with cancer. She was 52.
White’s mother, Yvonne White, said the songstress died at 4.44am with her husband and songwriter Chuck Cannon and their three children at her side.
Lari White was diagnosed in September with advanced peritoneal cancer, a rare form of cancer that develops in the thin layer of tissue lining the abdomen.
White detailed many of her complications and hospital visits in a post on Artistworks, where she had been teaching online vocal lessons.
Grammy-winning singer Lari White (pictured) passed away Tuesday morning after a brief battle with cancer. She was 52
White’s mother, Yvonne White, said the songstress died at 4.44am with her husband and songwriter Chuck Cannon (left) and their three children at her side
In the November post to her students, White explained that since her diagnosis she had a series of complications including pain management, pneumonia and a bowel obstruction requiring emergency surgery that has ‘kept me in and out of the hospital fighting for my life’.
‘It has been my joy to share some of the vocal techniques I use and I hope you will all continue with your journey to become better singers,’ she told her students.
On Friday, White’s mom posted on the Caring Bridge website that her daughter was moved into hospice care and her prognosis was bleak.
‘Last night Lari was admitted to a wonderful Hospice facility in Nashville, where she has all the Care she needs to make her comfortable and quiet for this part of the Journey, and where she is completely surrounded by loving family… Chuck, the children, her sister and brother, nephew and sisters-in-law, Mother and Father,’ Yvonne wrote on the site.
Lari White made her first national appearance in 1988 on the talent show You Can Be a Star on The Nashville Network, according to Billboard.
She won first prize, which included a recording contract with Capitol Records.
Lari White (left with Jay Leno in 1995) was diagnosed in September with advanced peritoneal cancer, a rare form of cancer that develops in the thin layer of tissue lining the abdomen. White (right in 2010) explained in a post that she had a series of complications after her diagnosis
White was also an actress. In 2000, she appeared in the Tom Hanks movie Castaway (pictured) at the beginning and end of the movie
White began her musical journey performing in her family’s Gospel band, and eventually studied vocals and music engineering at the University of Miami. She’s pictured in a scene with Hanks in Castaway
Her 1994, Wishes, would see her break through on country radio.
The disc’s first single, That’s My Baby, hit No. 10 on Country Songs, according to Billboard.
Two more singles, That’s How You Know (When You’re In Love) and Now I Know, from that same album soon climbed to the top 10.
Wishes was also certified Gold by the RIAA, for sales of 500,000 copies.
In 1998, White released a song she wrote titled Stepping Stone, which was her first release on Lyric Street Records.
The song returned her to the top 20 on the Country Songs chart and it eventually peaked at No. 16.
She won three Grammy Awards for her music in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album category. She won in 1996 for Amazing Grace: A Country Salute to Gospel, 1998 for Amazing Grace 2: A Country Salute to Gospel and in 1999 for The Apostle Soundtrack.
The country-music star was also a trailblazer in several entertainment areas, including producing.
She won three Grammy Awards for her music in the Best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album category. She won in 1996 for Amazing Grace: A Country Salute to Gospel, 1998 for Amazing Grace 2: A Country Salute to Gospel and in 1999 for The Apostle Soundtrack
White (far right) was also a trailblazer in several entertainment areas, including producing. She became the first female record producer for a male superstar when she produced for Toby Keith. Keith’s album went Platinum
She became the first female record producer for a male superstar when she produced for Toby Keith. Keith’s album went Platinum.
White was also an actress. In 2000, she appeared in the Tom Hanks movie Castaway at the beginning and end of the movie.
The singer was born on May 13, 1965, in Dunedin, Florida.
She began her musical journey performing in her family’s Gospel band, and eventually studied vocals and music engineering at the University of Miami, according to Billboard.
‘I love music,’ White once said. ‘It’s not to be famous. It’s not to make a lot of money. There’s so much joy I have in making music’
‘We are thankful, and grateful to God for the miracle of Hospice Care. Because of the way this superb program is designed, we have been able to Be There for her…to pray, to sing, to read to her, to love on her…and each other,’ her mother Yvonne said last week.
‘There is so much I could say about Lari, but multitudes of you have said it already. God gave us a very special gift when he sent this incredible baby to a young, inexperienced…and frightened!…couple …But in spite of this, we loved her with all our hearts.
‘From the beginning, we knew that she was “something else”…wise and funny, intelligent and super-talented…so loving, kind and compassionate…with a heart as big as all of Heaven,’ White’s mother wrote.
White produced Billy Dean’s Let Them Be Little project that was released in 2005 and went on to star in the 2007 cabaret production My First Affair.
She also co-produced the entirety of Toby Keith’s million-selling 2006 album White Trash With Money.
‘I love music,’ White once said. ‘It’s not to be famous. It’s not to make a lot of money. There’s so much joy I have in making music.’
In 2017, White released a pair of EPs, New Loves and Old Friends.
She is survived by her husband, Chuck Cannon, and their three children.