Art&Seek presents This Week in Texas Music History. Every week, we’ll spotlight a different moment and the musician who made it. This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll meet a musician who loved to “steel” the blues.

You can also hear This Week in Texas Music History on Sunday at precisely 6:04 p.m. on KERA radio. But subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss an episode. And our thanks to KUT public radio in Austin for helping us bring this segment to you. And if you’re a music lover, be sure to check out Track by Track, the podcast from Paul Slavens, host of KXT’s The Paul Slavens Show, heard Sunday night’s at 8.

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Barry White was born on Sept. 12, 1944, in Galveston. As a child, he sang gospel in the local church before his family relocated to Los Angeles. By the 1960s, White had achieved moderate success as a songwriter and producer. However, by the 1970s, his sultry baritone voice and his smooth funk-soul style made him one of the most popular singers of the era.

During his career, Barry White amassed 106 gold albums, 41 platinum albums and two Grammys. A large man with undeniable charisma, White earned the nickname the “Walrus of Love.” He died in 2003 at the age of 58.

Next time on This Week in Texas Music History, we’ll discover a link between Jimmie Rodgers and Janis Joplin.