Teddy Pendergrass | |
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 Pendergrass in 2000 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (1950-03-26)March 26, 1950 Kingstree,South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | January 13, 2010(2010-01-13) (aged 59) Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1970–2008 |
| Labels |
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| Website | teddypendergrassofficial |
Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an Americansoul andR&B singer and songwriter. He was born inKingstree, South Carolina.[2][3][4] Pendergrass lived most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musical fame as the lead singer ofHarold Melvin & the Blue Notes. After leaving the group in 1976, Pendergrass launched a successful solo career under thePhiladelphia International label, releasing five consecutive platinum albums (a record at the time for an African-American R&B artist). In March 1982, a car crash left Pendergrass paralyzed from the chest down. Pendergrass continued his successful solo career until announcing his retirement in 2007. Pendergrass died from respiratory failure in January 2010.
Pendergrass was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on March 26, 1950, in Kingstree, South Carolina.[4] He was the only child of Jesse and Ida Geraldine (née Epps) Pendergrass. Ida suffered six miscarriages before successfully giving birth to Teddy. When Pendergrass was very young, his father left the family. As he grew older, Pendergrass' mother promised him that she would find his father so that they could meet. She fulfilled that promise, and Teddy met his father when he was 11 years old. Not long after, Jesse was stabbed to death at age 47 on June 13, 1962, during an altercation with another man. Pendergrass grew up in the impoverished section ofNorth Philadelphia and often sang at church. He dreamed of being a pastor and got his wish when, at age 10, Pendergrass was ordained a minister (according to author Robert Ewell Greene). He also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of his church.
Pendergrass attendedThomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia. He sang with the Edison Mastersingers. Pendergrass dropped out[5] in the11th grade to enter the music business, recording his first song "Angel with Muddy Feet". However, the recording was not a commercial success. Pendergrass played drums for several local Philadelphia bands, eventually becoming the drummer of The Cadillacs (not the famed Harlem-based group of the same name).[6] In 1970, he was spotted by theBlue Notes' founder, Harold Melvin (1939–1997), who convinced Pendergrass to play drums in the group.[6] However, during a performance, Pendergrass began singing along, and Melvin, impressed by his vocals, made him the lead singer.[6] Before Pendergrass joined the group, the Blue Notes had struggled to find success. This all changed when they landed a recording deal withPhiladelphia International Records in 1971, thus beginning Pendergrass's successful collaboration with label foundersKenny Gamble andLeon Huff.
In 1972, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes released their first single, the slow, solemn ballad, "I Miss You". The song was originally written forthe 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, who was only 21 at the time of the recording. Pendergrass sings much of the song in a raspybaritone voice[4] 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 arap 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 10 of theBillboard 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 nativePatti LaBelle and her groupLabelle but the group could not record it due to scheduling conflicts. Pendergrass and LaBelle developed a close friendship that would last until Pendergrass's death.
The group rode to fame with several more releases over the years including "The Love I Lost", a song that predated the upcomingdisco music scene, the ballad "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon", and socially conscious singles "Wake Up Everybody" and "Bad Luck". One of the group's notable singles was their original version of thePhilly soul classic "Don't Leave Me This Way", which turned into a disco smash whenMotown artistThelma Houston released her version in 1976. By 1975, Pendergrass and Harold Melvin were at odds, mainly over financial 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" since fans kept mistaking him for Melvin.[citation needed] Pendergrass left the group in 1975, and the Blue Notes struggled with his replacements.[6] 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.
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In 1977, Pendergrass released hisself-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. Although not released as singles, the uptempo album tracks "You Can't Hide from Yourself" and "The More I Get, The More I Want", as well as the ballad "And If I Had" were also hits. The debut album was quickly followed byLife Is a Song Worth Singing, in 1978. That album was even more successful with its singles "Only You" and the classic million selling number 1 R&B hit "Close the Door".[6] The latter song firmly established Pendergrass as the top male sex symbol in soul music.[6] The album's popularity was furthered by the disco hit "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose", the ballad "It Don't Hurt Now", and the mid-tempo classic "When Somebody Loves You Back". That double platinum number-one R&B triumph was followed up in 1979 by two successes, the albumsTeddy (which stayed at number 1 on theBillboard R&B chart for eight weeks and was named the second-biggest R&B album of the year), and the live releaseLive Coast to Coast. Hits offTeddy included the classics "Come Go with Me", the erotic ballad "Turn Off the Lights",[6] and the uptempo album cut "Do Me". With his sex appeal at an all-time high after his 1979 tour, Pendergrass took a more mellow approach on his 1980 albumTP. It included the classic number two R&B hit "Love T.K.O.",[6] theStephanie Mills duet version of "Feel the Fire" and theAshford & Simpson composition "Is It Still Good to You". Between 1977 and 1981, Pendergrass landed five consecutive platinum albums, which was a then record-setting number for a rhythm and blues artist.
Pendergrass's popularity became massive at the end of 1978. With sold-out audiences packing his shows, his manager,Shep Gordon, who was known for his innovative approaches to publicizing his artists, soon noticed that a huge number of his audience consisted of women of all races. Gordon devised a plan for Pendergrass's 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 blackElvis", not only in terms of his crossover popularity but also due to him buying a mansion akin to Elvis'sGraceland, located just outside his hometown of Philadelphia. By early 1982, Pendergrass was perhaps the leading R&B male artist of his day, equaling the popularity ofMarvin Gaye, and surpassingBarry White and all others in the R&B field. In 1980,the Isley Brothers released "Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love)" to compete with Pendergrass's "Turn Off the Lights", which sensed Pendergrass's influence on thequiet storm format of black music.
On March 18, 1982, in theEast Falls section of Philadelphia on Lincoln Drive near Rittenhouse Street, Pendergrass was involved in a car crash while driving his newRolls-Royce Silver Spirit. At the time of the accident, the singer's license had been suspended for unpaid parking tickets (he had also wrecked aMaserati the previous week). Rumors that alcohol was a factor were later discounted by the police. Pendergrass was reportedly driving Tenika Watson, a transgender nightclub performer whom he had known since the 1970s, to her house. Pendergrass would only say that Watson was a casual acquaintance. It appeared to Watson that the cause of the crash was a mechanical error in the car, and that possibly someone had tampered with the brakes.[7][8] The car hit a guard rail, crossed onto the oncoming lane, and hit two trees. No other vehicles were involved. The impact jammed the doors, trapping Pendergrass and Watson for almost an hour until both were freed. While Watson walked away from the collision with minor injuries, Pendergrass had aspinal cord injury, leaving him atetraplegic, paralyzed from the chest down;[7][9] Pendergrass never walked again.[10]
Pendergrass got well-wishes from thousands of his fans during his recovery. In August 1982, Philadelphia International releasedThis One's for You, which failed to chart successfully, as did 1983'sHeaven Only Knows. Both albums included material Pendergrass had recorded before the crash. The albums completed his contract with Philadelphia International. By the time Pendergrass decided to return to the studio to work on new music, he had struggled to find a recording deal. Eventually signing a contract withAsylum Records and completing physical therapy, Pendergrass releasedLove Language in 1984.[6] The album included the pop ballad "Hold Me", featuring a youngWhitney Houston on her first release as a professional artist; the song became a hit rising to the top ten of both the R&B andAC charts and peaking inside the top 50 of theBillboard Hot 100; Pendergrass' first appearance in over two years.[6] As a result of that success,Love Language reached number 38 on theBillboard album chart and wascertified Gold by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
On July 13, 1985, Pendergrass made an emotional return to the stage at the historicLive Aid concert in Philadelphia in front of a live audience of over 100,000, the concert having an estimated 1.5 billion television viewers.[11] It was his first live performance following the accident. Pendergrass tearfully thanked the audience for keeping him in their well-wishes and then performed theDiana Ross song "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)". In 1988, Pendergrass scored his first R&B number-one hit in nearly a decade when the song "Joy", from his album of the same name, was released. A video of the song enjoyed heavy rotation onBlack Entertainment Television (BET). It was also his final Hot 100 charted single, peaking at number 77. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA that same year. Pendergrass' voice was also heard on the jingles of a then local Philadelphia radio station,WSNI-FM. He kept recording through the 1990s. One of the singer's last hits was thenew jack swing song, "Believe in Love", released in 1994. In 1996, Pendergrass starred alongsideStephanie Mills in the touring production of the gospel musicalYour Arms Too Short to Box with God.[12] In 1998, he released his autobiography titledTruly Blessed.[13]
Pendergrass did a concert at theWiltern Theater in Los Angeles on February 14, 2002, titled "The Power of Love". The concert became the albumFrom Teddy, With Love, which was released on theRazor & Tie record label later that year. It was his second (afterLive! 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.[14] In later years, "Wake Up Everybody", on which Pendergrass was lead vocalist on the 1975 Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes hit, was covered by a diverse range of acts fromSimply Red toPatti LaBelle and was chosen as a rallying cry during the2004 Presidential campaign byKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds to mobilize voters. Additionally,Little Brother,Kanye West,Cam'ron,Twista,Ghostface,Tyrese Gibson,9th Wonder,DMX andDJ Green Lantern have utilized his solo work.
In 2006, Pendergrass announced his retirement from the music business.[15] In 2007, he briefly returned to performing to participate inTeddy 25: A Celebration of Life, Hope & Possibilities, a 25th anniversary awards ceremony that marked Pendergrass's crash, but also raised money for his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, and honored those who helped Pendergrass since the accident.[16]
Pendergrass had three children: Tisha, LaDonna, and Theodore Jr.
Pendergrass's manager and girlfriend Taazmayia "Taaz" Lang was shot dead on the doorstep of her home in April 1977. The murder remains unsolved, although Philadelphia'sBlack Mafia has been suspected, as they allegedly resented Lang's control over Pendergrass's lucrative career.[10]
In June 1987, Pendergrass married a formerPhiladanco dancer named Karen Still,[17] who had also danced in his shows. They divorced in 2002.[18]
Pendergrass published his autobiography,Truly Blessed, with Patricia Romanowski in 1998.[19]
In the spring of 2006, Pendergrass met Joan Williams. He proposed to her 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.[20] On September 6, a formal wedding was celebrated at The Ocean Cliff Resort in Newport, Rhode Island. 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.
On June 5, 2009, Pendergrass underwent successful surgery forcolon cancer and returned home to recover. A few weeks later, he returned to the hospital with respiratory issues. After seven months, Pendergrass died ofrespiratory failure on January 13, 2010, with his wife Joan by his side, atBryn Mawr Hospital inBryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He was 59 years old.[21] Pendergrass' body was interred at theWest Laurel Hill Cemetery inBala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.[22]
As of 2015, there are plans to make a feature film biopic of Pendergrass' life, andTyrese Gibson is set to star as the late singer.[23] In 2019,Essence Magazine reported that Gibson reached out toLee Daniels to produce the film.[24]
In 2019,BBC Film made a documentary on Pendergrass's life titledIf You Don't Know Me. It was released February 8 onShowtime.[25]
Pendergrass received fiveGrammy Award nominations.[26]
| Award | Year | Result | Category | Song |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grammy Award | 1979 | Nomination | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | "Close the Door" |
| 1982 | Nomination | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | "I Can't Live Without Your Love" | |
| 1989 | Nomination | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | Joy | |
| 1992 | Nomination | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" | |
| 1994 | Nomination | Best Male R&B Vocal Performance | "Voodoo" |
Pendergrass received several nominations for theAmerican 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 singerLou Rawls. Pendergrass was posthumously inducted into theNational Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame class of 2021.[27] In 2023,Rolling Stone ranked Pendergrass at No. 42 on their list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[28]
