Teddy Pendergrass 1950-2009

The world lost one more soul man this year in Teddy Pendergrass, who died at the age of 59 of Colon Cancer on Wednesday. This was the man who was able to make you get romantic with your special someone even after an accident left him a paralyzed from the waist down in 1982.

He was one of the few singers who was more successful as a solo artist than with the group he was a part of (Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.) It’s hard to believe that Pendergrass was originally a drummer for this rhythm and blues band. After two years with the band he became a featured singer which brought on several hits including their best and most well-known “If You Don’t Know Me By Now.” This track (written by Philadelphia song-master Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff) were rejected by such notable acts as The Dells and Labelle. However it made Pendergrass a bankable artist, so much so that his solo career made him one of the sex symbols of R&B music. Songs such as “Turn off the Lights” and “Close the Door” released in the late ‘70s furthered solidified that position.

Even after the car accident that left him wheelchair bound for life, Pendergrass went on tour and kept on making music. His duet with Whitney Houston (before she became famous) from his 1986 album Love Language (“Hold Me”) was a chart topper for several weeks on the R&B charts which helped the album go platinum.

Seemingly more active than before his accident, Pendergrass released more music, went on tour, acted and toured with the gospel musical production of “You Arms Too Short to Box With God” and wrote a book “Truly Blessed.” He even had time to form a foundation “The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance.”

Still Pendergrass was about the music and although he officially retired in 2006 his music has continued to be out there. Many of his songs were covered by musical acts the most popular being Simply Red (“If You Don’t Know Me By Now”) and recently sampled by rappers DMX and Ghostface.