Saturday, January 16, 2010

R.I.P: Teddy Pendergrass (1950-2010)

Another of the great ones has passed. Teddy Pendergrass started as a drummer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes before taking the lead vocal role and scoring a huge hit with If You Don't Know Me By Now. After the inevitable creative differences, Teddy Pendergrass had scads of hits on his own (Turn Off The Lights, anyone?) and established himself one of the best R&B voices ever.

Sidelined in 1982 by the small matter of the 'brakes failing' on his Rolls Royce as he was driving home one Philly evening with a 'casual acquaintance' and transsexual that were inconveniently the same person, Pendergrass was paralyzed from the waist down. He eventually returned to the stage and studio, recording and performing until his death 1/13 from colon cancer.

TP also founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to help others with spinal injuries. Find out more here.

R

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