The world of R&B has lost yet another musical icon. Singer/performer Teddy Pendergrass died Wednesday night in the aftermath of colon cancer surgery. The Grammy-nominated singer was pronounced dead at 9:50 p.m. at Bryn Mawr Hospital near his hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The singer, known for his sultry love ballads, was the first black male singer to earn five straight multi-platinum records. He was one of the most prominent artists to be associated with Philadelphia International Records, the legendary Philadelphia-based label founded by production team Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. His baritone voice, sexy songs and powerful stage presence made him one of the most significant artists of that era, on par with other Philadelphia International greats like the O’Jays. But as a soul singer, he was unparalleled, releasing classic after classic after his self-titled solo debut was released.
Pendergrass started out with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, another Philadelphia International act. He began as the group’s drummer, but soon became its lead singer and the voice of classic hits like “Bad Luck,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” and “Wake Up Everybody.” By 1977, Pendergrass split from the Blue Notes to pursue a solo career. His self-titled debut included the hits “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and “The Whole Town’s Laughing At Me.”
His subsequent releases, including a dynamic live CD, propelled him into superstardom and made him a sex symbol around the world. Among sultry, old-school, soulful singers, “Teddy” was always in the mix, along with Luther, Smokey, Marvin – the singers who needed no last name when it came time to set the mood.
Tall, slim and fine, with a perfectly trimmed beard and armed with a gorgeous smile, Pendergrass set a standard for romance with his infamous “Ladies Only” concerts. Women throwing flowers, phone numbers and panties on the stage during his concerts became standard fare. The sexy shows sent his female fans into such frenzy that one woman was shot in the audience after a struggle over the head scarf he’d thrown out to them.
“He really was the last of a breed. There hasn’t been a real raw, gospel-influenced, deep-voiced adult black male star since Teddy’s peak,” said cultural critic, filmmaker, author and former Billboard R&B editor Nelson George in a Facebook conversation.
“Prince and Michael Jackson became the new standard, while Teddy defined grown ass man singing,” George said. “Teddy wasn’t really for girls. His fans were women and his songs were about adult relationships. The sexiest moment in stage I’ve ever seen was Teddy and Stephanie Mills doing ‘Feel The Fire’ at Madison Square Garden You could feel the sex in the air. I’ve not being gross – I’m being real. There were wet panties in the world’s most famous arena. So that’s what I remember.”
“Teddy Pendergrass was a soul icon and the standard for what we know today as a rythym and blues sex symbol and heartthrob. Bobby Brown, Usher Raymond, D’Angelo, and new jacks like Trey Songz all stand on his shoulders in regards to being the guy who really captivates female audiences. His voice coupled with those classic Sound of Philadelphia grooves are timeless. He will be missed,” said Mister Mann Frisby, a California-based writer originally from Philadelphia.
“I remember him most because of a conversation we had about how he, Diana Ross, and I all share the same birthday and how that made us all stubborn Aries,” Frisby said.
On March 18, 1982, Pendergrass’ career was derailed when he was involved in a controversial car accident in Philadelphia. The brakes failed on his Rolls Royce on a particularly challenging, winding road, and as a result, he became a quadriplegic. Depressed, Pendergrass thought about suicide, but rallied after some time recovering.
Though his voice never returned to its former power, Pendergrass started recording a year after the accident, eventually recording a total of six albums, starting with 1984’s “Love Language.” In 1985, he recorded the duet, “Hold Me,” with a promising new artist who would become a legend herself – Whitney Houston. In July of that year, he made a triumphant comeback to the stage at the Live Aid concert in Philadelphia, singing with Ashford and Simpson. Pendergrass went on to star in the touring company of “Your Arms Too Short to Box With God” with Stephanie Mills and released an autobiography, “Truly Blessed,” in 1988.
In 2005, Pendergrass announced an official retirement from the music industry, but returned to raise money for charity at his “Teddy 25: A Celebration of Life, Hope & Possibilities” benefit and tribute in 2007. The event raised money for his newly-formed foundation, the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, which raised funds and awareness for people suffering from spinal cord injuries.
Actor/singer Tyrese Gibson is attached as the star of an upcoming biopic about Pendergrass’ life. Gibson spent the night at the hospital with Pendergrass during his illness and got to know him as they researched the film, along with longtime Will Smith associate and producer Charles “Charlie Mack” Alston.
“Teddy was a very, extremely strong man. This man flatlined a few times and just refused to go,” says Alston, a producer on the upcoming film, with Gibson and the Pendergrass family. “His mind was all there; his body just broke down. He was just a fighter. He wasn’t a pity case at all. The memorial will be a celebration because he wasn’t a sad case. From the moment I met him to the day he passed, he was a proud and strong man. Even though he was bound in the chair, he was very much a man. He lived a long, successful life.”
Radio and TV personality Dyana Williams knew Pendergrass for over 30 years.
“We have not seen the likes of a Teddy Pendergrass before nor will we again,” she says. “There will only be one Teddy Pendergrass, always. He was the singularly strongest person I’ve ever met. He was a very vibrant, alive person, full life prior to the accident. There was a period where he didn’t want to be here anymore, but that changed, and he decided to use his situation to help people with spinal cord injuries. He lobbied in Congress and raised money through his Teddy Pendergrass Alliance.”
Pendergrass is survived by his wife, Joan, his mother, Ida Pendergrass, and three children. There will be a public viewing – the date and time will be announced soon – at Philadelphia’s Enon Baptist Church.
VIA BLACKAMERICA WEB DOT COM
