Rest in Peace Teddy Pendergrass

Sadly I have just learned – from a friend – that one of R&Bs greats has passed away a couple of weeks ago, TP we as many used to call him, has filled countless lives with many beautiful and moving songs and he will be deeply missed by many across the world.

Born on 26 March 1950, Theodore DeReese “Teddy” Pendergrass in Kingstree, South Carolina, has lived and died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Philly in 1962 after his father was murdered. Some say Pendergrass was ordained a minister as a young man, before he became a drummer for The Cadillacs – a Rock & Roll and Doo-Wop group from Harlem – who later merged with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes – one of the most popular pop groups in Philadelphia in the 70s, where he rose to fame as their lead singer before launching his solo career in the late 1970s.

I was first introduced to TP records and his sexy voice in the early 80s – by that time he was very established and had a great following– and I instantly fell in love. I enjoy most his songs but some never get old and I never get tired of listening to them. My absolute favorite is “Close the Door” but I also like “Joy”, “It should’ve Been You”, “Love TKO”, “The More I Get the More I Want”, “Two Hearts”, and his 1985 duet with Whitney (my daughter’s namesake) Huston “Hold Me”. I have in vinyl most of his earlier recordings – Teddy Pendergrass, Life is a Song Worth Singing, Live Coast to Coast, Teddy, This One’s for You and It’s Time for Love – and managed through the years to get most of them on CDs. Listening to him sing is always uplifting yet warm and seductive at the same time.

In 1982, Pendergrass crashed his Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit, the accident severely injured him and he became paralyzed from the waist down. Following his injury he founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance – a foundation that helps those with spinal cord injuries. In 1992 he published his autobiography “Truly Blessed” and in 98 he released an audio- biography by the same title and continued recording until 2006 when he retired from the music business.

Last year he underwent surgery for colon cancer but he never fully recovered, and eventually died on 13 January 2010 aged only 59, in the City of Brotherly Love. He is survived by his son, Teddy Pendergrass II and two daughters.

Rest in peace TP you will for ever be with us through your music and heaven’s band has just got one better!