Teddy Pendergrass
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Teddy Pendergrass
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Pendergrass in 1981
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Background information
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Birth name
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Theodore DeReese Pendergrass
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Born
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March 26, 1950
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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Died
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January 13, 2010 (aged 59)
Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, United States |
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Occupation(s)
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Singer, songwriter, composer
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Instruments
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Vocals, piano, guitar, drums
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Years active
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1969–2008
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Philadelphia
International,Asylum, Elektra, Surefire/Wind Up
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Associated acts
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Website
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Theodore
DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass (March 26, 1950[1] – January
13, 2010)[2] was an
American R&B/soul singer
and songwriter. He first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold
Melvin & the Blue Notes in
the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade. In 1982,
Pendergrass was severely injured in an auto accident in Philadelphia, resulting in his being paralyzed from
the chest down. He subsequently founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, a
foundation that helps those with spinal cord injuries. He commemorated 25 years
of living after his spinal cord injury with the star-filled event, "Teddy
25 - A Celebration of Life", at Philadelphia'sKimmel
Center. His last performance was on a PBS special at Atlantic City's
Borgata Casino in November 2008.
Contents
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5 Death
Early life[edit]
Pendergrass
was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[3] He was the
only child of Jesse Pendergrass and Ida Geraldine Epps. When he was still very
young, his father left the family; Jesse Pendergrass was murdered when Teddy
was 12. Pendergrass grew up in Philadelphia and sang often at church. He
dreamed of being a pastor and got his wish when, at 10, he was ordained a minister (according to author Robert Ewell
Greene). Pendergrass also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of
his church. He attended Thomas Edison High School
for Boys in North
Philadelphia (now closed). He sang with the Edison Mastersingers. He dropped out[4] in the
eleventh grade to enter the music business, recording his first song
"Angel With Muddy Feet". The recording, however, was not a commercial
success.
Pendergrass
played drums for several local Philadelphia bands, eventually becoming the
drummer of The Cadillacs. In 1970, the singer was spotted by the
Blue Notes' founder, Harold Melvin (1939–1997), who convinced Pendergrass to
play drums in the group. However, during a performance, Pendergrass began
singing along, and Melvin, impressed by his vocals, made him the lead singer.
Before Pendergrass joined the group, the Blue Notes had struggled to find
success. That all changed when they landed a recording deal with Philadelphia
International Records in
1971, thus beginning Pendergrass's successful collaboration with label founders Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff.
Early career[edit]
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes: 1972–75[edit]
In 1972,
Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes released their first single, a slow, solemn
ballad entitled "I Miss You". The song was originally written for the Dells, but the group passed on it. Noting how
Pendergrass sounded like Dells lead singer Marvin Junior, Kenny Gamble decided
to build the song with Pendergrass, then only 21 at the time of the recording.
Pendergrass sings much of the song in a raspy baritone wail
that would become his trademark. The song also featured Blue Notes member Lloyd
Parks singing falsetto in the background and spotlighted Harold Melvin adding
in a rap near the end of the song as
Pendergrass kept singing, feigning tears. The song, one of Gamble and Huff's
most creative productions, became a major rhythm and blues hit and put the Blue
Notes on the map.
The
group's follow-up single, "If You Don't Know Me by Now,"
brought the group to the mainstream with the song reaching the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 while
also reaching number-one on the soul singles chart. Like "I Miss You"
before it, the song was originally intended for a different artist, fellow
Philadelphian native Patti LaBelle and
her group Labelle but
the group could not record it due to scheduling conflicts. Pendergrass and
LaBelle developed a close friendship that would last until Pendergrass' death.
The group
rode to fame with several more releases over the years including "The Love I Lost", a song that predated the
upcoming disco music scene, the ballad "Hope That
We Can Be Together Soon", and socially conscious singles "Wake Up Everybody"
and "Bad Luck," the latter song about the Watergate scandal. One of the group's important
singles was their original version of the Philly soul classic
"Don't Leave Me This Way",
which turned into a disco smash when Motown artist Thelma Houston released
her version in 1976. By 1975, Pendergrass and Harold Melvin were at odds,
mainly over monetary issues and personality conflicts. Despite the fact that
Pendergrass sang most of the group's songs, Melvin was controlling the group's
finances. At one point, Pendergrass wanted the group to be renamed "Teddy
Pendergrass and the Blue Notes" because fans kept mistaking him for
Melvin.[citation
needed] Pendergrass
left the group in 1975 and the Blue Notes struggled with his replacements. They
eventually left Philadelphia International and toiled in relative obscurity,
until Melvin's death in 1997. As of 2014, a version of the group still tours
the old school circuit, performing as Harold Melvin's Blue Notes.
Solo career[edit]
Early solo success[edit]
In 1977,
Pendergrass released his self-titled album,
which went platinum on the strength of the disco hit "I Don't Love You
Anymore". Its follow-up single, "The Whole Town's Laughing At
Me," became a top 20 R&B hit. It was quickly followed by Life Is a Song Worth
Singing, in 1978. That album was even more successful with its
singles including "Only You"
and "Close the
Door." The disco single "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get
Loose" was popular in dance clubs. The year 1979 brought
two successes, the albums Teddy and
the live release Live Coast to
Coast. Hits off Teddy included "Come and Go With
Me" and "Turn Off the Lights."
His 1980 album TP included his signature song, "Love TKO", and the Ashford & Simpson composition "Is It Still Good to
You". Between 1977 and 1981, Pendergrass landed four consecutive platinum
albums, which was a then-record setting number for a rhythm and blues artist.
Pendergrass'
popularity became massive at the end of 1977. With sold-out audiences packing
his shows, his manager soon noticed that a huge number of his audience
consisted of women of all races. They devised a plan for Pendergrass' next tour
to play to just female audiences, starting a trend that continues today called
"women only concerts." With four platinum albums and two gold albums,
Pendergrass was on his way to being what the media called "the black Elvis", not only in terms of his crossover
popularity but also due to him buying a mansion akin to Elvis' Graceland, located just outside of his hometown of
Philadelphia. By early 1982, Pendergrass was the leading R&B male artist of
his day, usurping competition including closest rivals Marvin Gaye and Barry White. In 1980, the Isley Brothers released "Don't Say
Goodnight (It's Time for Love)" to compete with Pendergrass'
"Turn Off the Lights", which sensed Pendergrass' influence on the quiet storm format
of black music.
Accident[edit]
On March
18, 1982, in the East
Falls section of
Philadelphia on Lincoln Drive near Rittenhouse Street, Pendergrass was involved
in an automobile accident. He lost control of his Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit - the car hit a guard rail, crossed
into the opposite traffic lane, and hit two trees. Pendergrass and his
passenger, Tenika Watson, a transsexual nightclub performer with whom
Pendergrass was not previously acquainted with, were trapped in the wreckage
for 45 minutes. While Watson walked away from the accident with minor injuries,
Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury, leaving him a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down.[5][6]
Later solo career[edit]
Pendergrass
got well-wishes from thousands of his fans during his recovery. In August 1982,
his label released This
One's for You, which failed to chart successfully, as did 1983's Heaven Only Knows.
Both albums included material Pendergrass had recorded prior to his accident.
The albums completed his contract with Philadelphia International. By the time
Pendergrass decided to return to the studio to work on new music he struggled
to find a recording deal. Eventually signing a deal and completing physical
therapy, he released Love Language in
1984. The album included the pop ballad "Hold Me",
featuring a then-unknown Whitney Houston.
On July
13, 1985, Pendergrass made an emotional return to the stage at the historic Live Aid concert
in Philadelphia in front of a live audience of over 99,000 and an estimated 1.5
billion television viewers.[7] It was the
35-year-old's first live performance following his 1982 accident. Pendergrass
tearfully thanked the audience for keeping him in their well-wishes and then
performed the Ashford & Simpson classic "Reach Out
and Touch (Somebody's Hand)". In 1988, Pendergrass scored his
first R&B number-one hit in nearly a decade when the new jack swing-styled "Joy", from his album
of the same name, was released. A video of the song enjoyed heavy rotation on BET.
It was also his final Hot 100 charted single, peaking at number 77. Also,
Pendergrass' voice was heard on the jingles of a then local Philadelphia radio
station, WSNI-FM.
Pendergrass
kept recording through the 1990s. One of the singer's final hits was the
hiphop-leaning "Believe in Love", released in 1994. In 1996, he
starred alongside Stephanie Mills in
the touring production of the gospel musical Your Arms
Too Short to Box with God.[8] In 1998,
Pendergrass released his autobiography entitled, Truly Blessed.[9]
Pendergrass
did a concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, California, on February 14, 2002, entitled "The
Power of Love". The concert became the album From Teddy, With Love, which
was released on theRazor & Tie record label later that year. It was
his second (after Live! Coast to Coast)
and final live album. Clips of the concert, in particular his performance of
his comeback song "Joy". can
still be seen on YouTube.[10] In his
later years, Pendergrass' “Wake Up Everybody” has been covered by a diverse
range of acts from Simply Red to Patti LaBelle and
was chosen as a rallying cry during the 2004
Presidential campaign by Kenneth
"Babyface" Edmonds to
mobilize voters. In addition, Little Brother, Kanye West, Cam'ron, Twista, Ghostface, Tyrese Gibson, 9th Wonder, DMX and DJ Green Lantern have
utilized his works.
In 2006,
Pendergrass announced his retirement from the music business.[11] In 2007,
he briefly returned to performing to participate in Teddy 25: A Celebration of Life,
Hope & Possibilities, a
25th anniversary awards ceremony that marked Pendergrass' accident date, but
also raised money for his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, and honored
those who helped Pendergrass since his accident.[12]
Personal life[edit]
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Pendergrass
had three children, Tisha, LaDonna, and Teddy II. In June 1987, he married a
former Philadanco dancer named Karen Still,[13] who had
also danced in his shows. The couple amicably divorced in 2003. Pendergrass met
Joan Williams in the spring of 2006. Pendergrass proposed to Joan after four
months and they married in a private ceremony officiated by his Pastor Alyn
Waller of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church on Easter Sunday, March 23, 2008.[14] A formal
wedding was celebrated at The Ocean Cliff Resort in Newport, Rhode Island on
September 6, 2008.
As members
of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Joan Pendergrass set up The Enon Tabernacle
Baptist Church Youth Fund in the name of Pendergrass to provide assistance and
a center for Philadelphia's inner city youth.
He
published his autobiography, Truly
Blessed, in 1998. There are plans to make a feature film biopic of
Pendergrass's life, and Tyrese Gibson is
set to star as the late singer.[15]
Death[edit]
On June 5,
2009, Pendergrass underwent successful surgery for colon cancer and
returned home to recover. A few weeks later he returned to the hospital with
respiratory issues. After seven months, he died ofrespiratory failure on January 13, 2010, at age 59, with
wife Joan by his side, while hospitalized at Bryn Mawr Hospital in suburban Philadelphia.[16] His body
was interred at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.
Discography[edit]
Main article: Teddy
Pendergrass discography
Grammy
Awards nominations[edit]
Pendergrass
received the following five nominations for Grammy Awards.
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Award
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Year
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Result
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Category
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Song
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1979
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Nomination
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Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
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"Close the Door"
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1982
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Nomination
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Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
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"I Can't Live Without Your Love"
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1992
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Nomination
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Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
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1994
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Nomination
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Best Male R&B Vocal Performance
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"Voodoo"
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Other awards[edit]
Pendergrass
received several nominations for the American Music Awards between 1979 and 1981 for Favorite
Soul/R&B Male Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album, and Favorite Disco
Artist. He won the AMA for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist in 1979, tied with
singer Lou Rawls.
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