Barry White’s Wife Glodean White: Marriage, Separation, and His First Marriage Explained
If you’re searching for Barry White’s wife, the name you’re looking for is Glodean White (born Glodean Beverly James). They married in 1974, separated in 1988, and—despite living separate lives—remained legally married until Barry White died in 2003. At the same time, Barry had an earlier marriage to a childhood sweetheart he identified only as “Mary” in his autobiography, a relationship that ended before his global fame peaked.
Who Was Barry White?
Barry White was an American singer, songwriter, and producer with one of the most recognizable voices in popular music—deep, romantic, and instantly cinematic. He became a defining sound of 1970s soul and disco, not only as a performer but as a producer who understood how to build a mood. His arrangements often leaned lush and orchestral, with strings and slow-burning grooves that felt like a soundtrack to candlelight and late-night devotion.
Beyond the hits, Barry’s impact is tied to how he presented romance. He didn’t sing love like a fleeting crush. He sang it like a full-body commitment—dramatic, loyal, and larger than the room. That “voice of love” image is exactly why people remain curious about his real-life relationships, including who he married and what his family looked like behind the music.
Who Was Barry White’s Wife?
Barry White’s wife—at the time of his death—was Glodean White. She was not simply a spouse in the background. Glodean was a singer in her own right, best known as the lead singer of Love Unlimited, the female vocal trio closely associated with Barry’s music and production. Their professional worlds overlapped, and so did their personal lives.
They are widely reported to have married in 1974. Over time, their relationship became both a partnership and a complicated long-term legal tie: they separated years later, but they did not finalize a divorce.
When Did Barry White and Glodean White Get Married?
Barry White and Glodean White married in 1974. Their marriage is one of the most consistently documented parts of Barry’s personal life because it was connected to his music world and because Glodean remained publicly identifiable through her work with Love Unlimited.
The couple also collaborated professionally during their marriage. A notable example is the album Barry & Glodean (1981), which reinforced that they weren’t just a private couple—they were also creatively connected.
Did Barry White and Glodean White Divorce?
They reportedly separated in 1988, but they never legally divorced before Barry White’s death in 2003. That detail matters because it explains why many biographies still refer to Glodean as his wife and widow, even though the relationship itself had been strained and largely separate for years.
This is one of the most common points of confusion online: people assume “separated” equals “divorced.” In their case, separation meant living separate lives, but the marriage remained legally intact.
How Many Children Did Barry White Have With Glodean?
Barry and Glodean White had four children together. You’ll see different totals for Barry White’s children overall depending on the source, because his family life included children from different relationships and because some reporting counts stepchildren differently. But for the marriage itself, the most commonly repeated, consistent point is that Barry and Glodean shared four children.
Because Barry’s estate and family life became complicated after his death, the “how many children” question often gets pulled into legal and inheritance discussions. If you’re focused specifically on the “wife” question, the clearest takeaway is that Glodean was his spouse and the mother of four of his children.
Barry White’s First Marriage
Before Glodean, Barry White was married to a childhood sweetheart he identified only as “Mary” in his autobiography. This first marriage happened early—before he became the polished icon people associate with the 1970s—and it’s often described as part of his “before fame” chapter.
Biographical summaries commonly note that the couple separated in 1969 and later divorced. Some websites attach different names to the first wife, but the most cautious, accurate wording is the one tied to Barry’s own account: a childhood sweetheart named “Mary,” with the marriage ending before his superstar era took over his life.
Glodean White’s Life Beyond Being “Barry White’s Wife”
Glodean White had her own identity as a performer. As part of Love Unlimited, she was connected to a distinctive era of soul and orchestral R&B, and her voice was part of the musical world that Barry helped shape. Even if many people only recognize her name through Barry, she wasn’t a random partner pulled into fame—she was already in the same creative ecosystem.
After Barry’s death, her name continued to appear in coverage because of estate matters and because she remained his legal wife. That legal status placed her in a central role in how his legacy was handled, even though the relationship had been separated for years.
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