Singer Lari White Dies After Cancer Battle

Singer-songwriter Lari White has died. White, who was diagnosed with peritoneal cancer last year, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 23. White was 52 years old at the time of her death.

White rose to fame in the ’90s with a series of hits that included “That’s My Baby,” “Now I Know,” “That’s When You Know (You’re in Love)” and “Ready, Willing and Able,” among others. White also made history by becoming the first female to produce a the country album of a major male country star, when she produced Toby Keith’s platinum-selling 2006 White Trash with Money record.

White also was a professional actress, appearing in the films Cast Away and Country Strong, along with the Broadway musical, Ring of Fire. In addition, she worked as a vocal coach, and continued touring until shortly before her death.

In 2017, White released her latest Old Friends EP, which included some of her previous hits, with appearances by her good friends Suzy Bogguss and Lee Roy Parnell. The record was White’s first release of original songs since Green Eyed Soul was released in 2004, and came out 25 years after signing her first record deal.

“I hope that I’ve learned,” White told Nash Country Daily of the milestone. “I love music and I love listening to music. I love exploring different styles of music, so I definitely have a richer palate to draw from. I have more knowledge about music and more variety in what I listen to and what I love. I think, too, the more you live the more you’re able to give as a singer, and more of yourself. You’re able to give and offer for people to relate to, and identify with.”

White planned on releasing a new album, before becoming ill. Her mother, Yvonne White, revealed on Jan. 19 that her daughter had entered hospice care, after she became too ill to continue treatment.

“This Mother’s Heart is broken tonight for the horrendous illness that attacked our amazing daughter so viciously and quickly, as we know yours is, too,” Yvonne White wrote on the Caring Bridge website. “But tonight this Mother’s Heart is also filled with an abundance of love and comfort…and Peace that She has so much love surrounding her, and for the gentle, competent Care of Hospice.”

White is survived by her husband, songwriter and producer, Chuck Cannon, and three children. PopCulture.com extends our deepest sympathies to White’s family.

Photo Credit:Facebook/Lari White