Teddy Pendergrass 1950-2010

Tribute Video


There are so many great tributes, that it made no sense to do my own...especially considering that my computer isn't set up with all of my music. It would have taken me hours.

My fellow music guru's already covered most of what I was going to do.

When it comes to Pendergrass... I have a few favorites, but his signature song for me is "Wake Up, Everybody". "Somebody Told Me" isn't far behind. I like the mushy stuff too.... but being a perpetually single man, I never had the opportunity or need to put those songs into use. But the music behind the words.... that signature Philly sound... was, and continues to be, superb. Timeless. Gamble and Huff w/ the help of the great MFSB had such a unique sound that they were able to separate themselves quite a bit from Stax & Motown. All three had great backing bands btw, with the MG's in Memphis and the Funk Brothers in Detroit...but their styles were completely different.

More Tributes

From T. Grundy (Music lover and DJ extraordinaire...and reader of this blog).

From Soulful Vibes.net

Podcaster ArtLuv

Funky16corners blog


You can’t Hide From Yourself


Where Did All The Lovin’ Go


Hear an interview from a few years ago

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Article from Rolling Stone

Teddy Pendergrass On One of His Classics

Soul Singer Teddy Pendergrass Dies in Pa. at 59

hat tip-msmartin



ABC.com

Soul Singer Teddy Pendergrass Dies in Pa. at 59
By PATRICK WALTERS Associated Press Writer
PHILADELPHIA January 14, 2010 (AP)
The Associated Press

Teddy Pendergrass, who became R&B's reigning sex symbol in the 1970s and '80s with his forceful, masculine voice and passionate love ballads and later became an inspirational figure after suffering a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed, died Wednesday at age 59.

The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died at a hospital in suburban Philadelphia. The singer underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery," his son said.

"To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."

Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury and was paralyzed from the waist down in the 1982 car accident. He spent six months in a hospital but returned to recording the next year with the album "Love Language."

He returned to the stage at the Live Aid concert in 1985, performing from his wheelchair.

Pendergrass later founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, an organization whose mission is to encourage and help people with spinal cord injuries achieve their maximum potential in education, employment, housing, productivity and independence, according to its Web site.

Pendergrass, who was born in Philadelphia on March 26, 1950, gained popularity first as a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes.

In 1971, the group signed a record deal with the legendary writer/producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. The group released it first single, "I Miss You," in 1972 and then released "If You Don't Know Me by Now," which was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Pendergrass quit the group in 1975 and embarked on a solo career in 1976. It was his solo hits that brought him his greatest fame. With songs such as "Love T.K.O.," "Close the Door" and "I Don't Love You Anymore," he came to define a new era of black male singers with his powerful, aggressive vocals that spoke to virility, not vulnerability.

His lyrics were never coarse, as those of later male R&B stars would be, but they had a sensual nature that bordered on erotic without being explicit.

Rest of obituary at link above.

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