The Boston Herald
February 26, 2000
Barry White: No love for the Grammy Awards
Despite winning the first two Grammy Awards of his 30-year career this week, soul giant Barry White bitterly lashed out at the event’s voting process Thursday, charging it was corrupt.
White, 55, is still angry that he lost the best new artist race in 1974 to singer-comic BetteMidler, and told Reuters that he would remember that slight “til the day I die. I’ll never forget that, man.”
He did not attend Wednesday’s awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where his new album “Staying Power” yielded Grammys for traditional and male vocal performance, both in the r & b category.
White said he was surprised to win the Grammys. “I was thankful and everything, but it was a very short thankful, believe me.”
He said from his San Diego home that the rain kept him away from the ceremony, but he has attended only one Grammy show in his career. That was in 1974 when he was competing with Midler, Eumir Deodato, Maureen McGovern and Marie Osmond for the best new artist award. Press reports at the time said Midler was embarrassed to win. White was just plain angry that he did not.
“I should have got it. I was the best new artist . . . You don’t forget things like that, man. You know there’s something wrong. There’s corruption or something going on.”
