PHILADELHIA, PA - 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'm 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 .....
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'm 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 .....
