Lari White, a Grammy-winning country artist best known for such hits as “Now I Know” and “That’s My Baby,” died on Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer.
She was 52 years old.
The passing of White, who rose to fame after appearing on Jim Ed Brown’s “You Can Be a Star” talent show, was confirmed in a sad note left by her mother, Yvonne.
It reads as follows:
Last night all her Family-of-Origin circled round her bed, saying our goodbyes to Lari, loving her, praying, sending her messages of support and gratitude. Her Dad gave her his loving foot massage.
[Husband] Chuck and their three children joined with us, and it was such a comfort to all of us to be ‘Together Again’ around Lari.
Chuck and their children bathed her in the same love and care all night long they have given to her for four months. At 4:44 this morning, Lari peacefully took her ‘Rain Walk.’
A Florida native, White signed a recording contract with Capitol Nashville shortly after winning the aforementioned Brown-hosted reality program.
However, the singer was dropped from that label after releasing just one track.
She later became back-up singer for Rodney Crowell and then signed a new deal with RCA, which produced her hit 1993 album, “Lead Me Not.”
A year later, she released her second record and, along with it, her three biggest singles:
- “That’s My Baby” hit number-10 on the Country Songs Billboard Chart.
- “That’s How You Know (When You’re In Love)” accomplished this same feat.
- And so did “Now I Know.”
White was also known being for a cast member in the 2006 Broadway musical “Ring of Fire.”
The musician revealed in November of last year that she had been diagnosed with peritoneal cancer.
Tragically, her condition quickly worsened from there.
On January 19, her mother announced that White had entered hospice care, writing at the time:
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.
I have never known a person who did not love her and respect her, as evidenced by the great outpouring of love and concern of so many people. Every role she has played in Life has been superb, and most of all, her role as Mother.
We are blessed to be her Family. Chuck and their three children are blessed to have her as Wife and Mother. Thank you, God, for Lari!
In response to White’s passing, a number of artists expressed sorrow and sadness on Twitter.
To wit:
White is survived by her husband, Nashville songwriter Chuck Cannon, and three children.
Funeral arrangements are pending
We send our condolences to the singer’s family and we hope she is resting in peace.
