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Teddy
Pendergrass
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b. Theodore Pendergrass, 26 March
1950, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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Pendergrass joined Harold Melvin
And The Blue Notes in 1969, when they invited his group,
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the Cadillacs, to work as backing
musicians. Initially their drummer, Pendergrass had become
the
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featured vocalist within a year.
His ragged, passionate interpretations brought distinction to such releases
as
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'I Miss You' and 'If You Don't
Know Me By Now'. Clashes with Melvin led to an inevitable split and
in
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1976 Pendergrass embarked on a
successful solo career, remaining with the Philadelphia International
label.
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His skills were most apparent on
slower material, which proved ideal for the singer's
uncompromisingly
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sensual approach, which earned him
a huge following among women. 'The Whole Town's Laughing At Me'
(1977),
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'Close The Door' (1978) and 'Turn
Off The Lights' (1979) stand among the best of his early
work
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and if later releases were
increasingly drawn towards a smoother, more polished
direction,
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Pendergrass was still capable of
creating excellent records, including a moving rendition of 'Love
TKO',
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a haunting Womack And Womack
composition. However, his life was inexorably changed in 1982, following
a
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near-fatal car accident that left
the singer confined to a wheelchair, although his voice was
intact.
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Nonetheless, after months of
physical and emotional therapy, he was able to begin
recording
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again. 'Hold Me' (1984),
Pendergrass's debut hit on his new outlet, Asylum Records, also
featured
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Whitney Houston, while further
success followed with 'Love 4/2' (1986), 'Joy' and '2 A.M.' (both
1988).
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In 1991, 'It Should've Been You'
did much to reinstate him in people's mind's as a major
artist.
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He moved to a new label in 1996
after a lengthy gap in his career.
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Photograph of Teddy Pendergrass by
John Robert Rowlands