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Teddy Pendergrass

Biography

Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister in ten years older. While attending general public college, he sang within the citywide McIntyre Elementary College Choir and in the All-City Stetson Junior SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL Choir. A self-taught drummer, Pendergrass got a teenager pop vocal group when he was 15. By his past due teenagers, Pendergrass was a drummer for regional vocal group the Cadillacs. In the past due ’60s, the Cadillacs merged with another competent group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Records. In 1970, once the Blue Records split up, Melvin, right now alert to Pendergrass’ vocal prowess, asked him to consider the lead vocalist place. It’s no magic formula that Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff needed Marvin Junior from the Dells because of their Philadelphia International Information roster. Because the Dells had been agreed upon to Chess, these were unavailable. Once the gruff’n’ready vocals of Pendergrass emerged their method, they eagerly agreed upon the group. You start with “I Miss You,” a reliable stream of strike singles flowed through the cooperation of Pendergrass and Gamble & Huff: “UNLESS YOU Know Me right now,” “The Appreciate I Shed,” “MISFORTUNE,” “AWAKEN Everybody” (number 1 R&B for 14 days in 1976), and two yellow metal albums, TO BECOME True and AWAKEN Everybody. Unfortunately, the greater achievement the group got, the greater friction created between Melvin and Pendergrass. Regardless of the modified billing of the group, Harold Melvin & the Blue Records offering Theodore Pendergrass, Pendergrass sensed that he wasn’t obtaining enough reputation. Around 1976, Pendergrass still left Melvin’s Blue Records and shaped his very own Blue Records, offering Teddy Pendergrass. Quickly, there is some confusion concerning which Blue Records had been which. The quality arrived when Pendergrass disbanded his Blue Records and only a solo profession and Melvin’s group authorized a documenting contract with Resource Information, distributed through ABC Information, scoring popular with “I wish to Be YOUR COMPANION.” Pendergrass authorized a new agreement with Philadelphia International Information in past due 1976/early 1977. He burst back again on the picture with Teddy Pendergrass, a platinum single debut that included the top-notch singles “I Don’t Like You Anymore,” “You Can’t Cover from Yourself,” and “THE GREATER I Obtain the More I’D LIKE.” For this period, Pendergrass started to institute his infamous “Women Just” concerts. His following three albums proceeded to go platinum or platinum: Existence Is a Track Worth Performing (1978), Teddy (1979), and Teddy Live (Coastline to Coastline). The strike single “Close the entranceway” was found in the film Soup for just one, where Pendergrass experienced a small part. The vocalist received many Grammy nominations during 1977 and 1978, Billboard’s 1977 Pop Recording New Designer Award, an American Music Award for greatest R&B performer of 1978, and honours from Ebony publication as well as the NAACP. He was also in concern for the business lead in the film biopic The Otis Redding Tale. The ’70s finished, but Pendergrass held accumulating the strikes. TP, his 5th solo album, proceeded to go platinum in the summertime of 1980 from the singles “SWITCH OFF the Lamps,” “Arrive Opt for Me,” “Shout and Scream,” “It’s You I REALLY LIKE,” and “Can’t We Try.” It’s Period for Love offered Pendergrass another platinum album in summer time 1981, including the strike singles “Appreciate TKO” and “I CANNOT Live Without Your Appreciate.” A 1982 car crash still left Pendergrass paralyzed through the waistline down and wheelchair-bound. After nearly per year of physical therapy and guidance, Pendergrass returned towards the documenting picture, signing a agreement with Elektra/Asylum in 1983. His ninth single record and Elektra/Asylum debut, Appreciate Language went yellow metal the springtime of 1984. Philadelphia International released two albums of unreleased paths, This One’s for you personally (1982) and Heaven Just Knows (1983). Various other albums included Workin’ It Back again (1985), Pleasure (1988, whose name track visited number 1 R&B for 14 days), and BIT MORE Magic (1993). The last mentioned half of the ’90s discovered Pendergrass documenting for the Surefire/Blowing wind Up label. Truly Blessed, the name of the 1991 Elektra record, can be the title from the autobiography Pendergrass co-authored with Patricia Romanowski. Aside from an appearance in a 2007 wedding ceremony kept in his honor, Pendergrass spent his old age from the limelight. He had problems recovering from cancer of the colon surgery and passed on on January 13, 2010.

Quick Facts


Full Name Teddy Pendergrass
Died January 13, 2010, Bryn Mawr, Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, United States
Height 1.85 m
Profession Singer, Composer, Songwriter
Education Edison/Fareira High School
Nationality American
Spouse Joan Williams, Karen Still
Children LaDonna Pendergrass, Tisha Pendergrass, Tamon Pendergrass, Teddy Pendergrass II
Parents Jesse Pendergrass, Ida Geraldine Epps
Awards American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist
Music Groups Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, The Cadillacs
Music Songs Close the Door, When Somebody Loves You Back, Love T.K.O., Turn Off the Lights, You're My Latest, My Greatest Insiration, It Don't Hurt Now, The Whole Town's Laughing at Me, Hold Me, Come Go With Me, In My Time, The Love I Lost, Feel the Fire, Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose, Can We Be Lovers, The More I Get the More I Want, And If I Had, Love Is the Power, You Can't Hide From Yourself, I Don't Love You Anymore, Can't We Try, I Can't Live Without Your Love, I'll Never See Heaven Again, Cold, Cold World, Through the Falling Rain, It Should've Been You, If You Know Like I Know, Only You, It's You I Love, I'm Always Thinking About You, Glad to Be Alive, You're My Choice Tonight, Easy, Easy, Got To Take It Easy
Albums Life Is a Song Worth Singing, Love Language, Joy, Live! Coast to Coast, TP, This One's for You, You and I, It's Time for Love, Truly Blessed, Teddy Pendergrass, A Little More Magic, Heaven Only Knows, Duets - Love & Soul, Workin' It Back, Teddy, The Best of Teddy Pendergrass, Bedroom Classics, Volume 1, The Essential Teddy Pendergrass, Choice Soul Cuts, Soul Box, Playlist: The Very Best of Teddy Pendergrass, American Legend, Back To Back With Love, Golden Legends: Teddy Pendergrass, Original Album Classics
Nominations Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Album, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Male Artist, American Music Award for Favorite Disco Male Artist
Movies Choose Me, Soup for One, Five Conversations About Soul, Teddy Pendergrass: Teddy! Live in '79, Most Famous Hits: Tom Jones & Friends


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Soundtrack

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Southside with You 2016 performer: "Close the Door"
Concussion 2015 performer: "Love T.K.O.", "Close The Door"
Too Late 2015/I performer: "You're My Choice Tonight Choose Me"
Dog Food 2014 Short performer: "Love T.K.O." - as Teddy Pendegrass
A Lyrical Love 2013 Short performer: "Close the Door"
How Do You Know 2010 performer: "Turn Off The Lights"
How to Make It in America 2010 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Ugly Betty 2007 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Eye See Me 2007 performer: "Love TKO"
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories 2006 Video Game performer: "Love TKO"
Carlito's Way: Rise to Power 2005 Video performer: "Wake Up Everybody"
Indigo Prophecy 2005 Video Game performer: "Love T.K.O."
Alfie 2004 performer: "Love T.K.O." 1978
Undercover Brother 2002 performer: "Close the Door"
40 Days and 40 Nights 2002 performer: "Turn Off the Lights"
The Ladies Man 2000 performer: "Turn Off the Lights"
Follow Your Heart 1999 performer: "You & I"
The Nutty Professor 1996 performer: "Close the Door"
The Power of One 1992 performer: "The Power of One"
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane 1990 performer: "Glad to Be Alive"
D.A.R.Y.L. 1985 performer: "Somewhere I Belong"
Miami Vice 1984 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Choose Me 1984 performer: "Choose Me You're My Choice Tonight", "And If I Had", "In My Time"
Soup for One 1982 performer: "DREAM GIRL"
WKRP in Cincinnati 1982 TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Merv Griffin Show 1980 TV Series performer - 1 episode
Roadie 1980 performer: "Can't We Try" / producer: "Can't We Try"

Actor

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Teddy Pendergrass 2002 Video Artist
Soup for One 1982 Night Club Singer

Thanks

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
18th Annual Trumpet Awards 2010 TV Special in memory of

Self

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
VH1 Rock Docs 2010 TV Series Himself
Testimonies of Faith: Humble Journey's 2007 Documentary
Five Conversations About Soul 2003 Video documentary Himself
Behind the Music 1997 TV Series documentary Himself
Live with Kelly and Michael 1996 TV Series Himself
New York Undercover 1994 TV Series Himself
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 1993 TV Series Himself
Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame 1993 TV Special documentary Himself
The 5th Annual Soul Train Music Awards 1991 TV Special Himself - Performer
The 31st Annual Grammy Awards 1989 TV Special Himself
The Arsenio Hall Show 1989 TV Series Himself
Ebony/Jet Showcase 1986-1988 TV Series Himself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson 1986 TV Series Himself
The 13th Annual American Music Awards 1986 TV Special Himself
Live Aid 1985 TV Special documentary Himself
Lou Rawls Parade of Stars 1982 TV Series Himself
Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters 1981 TV Series Himself
The 8th Annual American Music Awards 1981 TV Special Himself - Host
The Mike Douglas Show 1977-1980 TV Series Himself - Vocalist / Himself / Himself - Co-Host
Kids Are People, Too 1980 TV Series Himself
Soul Train 1972-1980 TV Series documentary Himself / Guest
The John Davidson Show 1980 TV Series Himself
The Merv Griffin Show 1980 TV Series Himself
Men Who Rate a 10 1980 TV Special Himself
Pink Lady 1980 TV Series Himself
Morning in Philadelphia 1980 TV Series Himself
The 6th Annual American Music Awards 1979 TV Special Himself - Host
The Midnight Special 1978 TV Series Himself
Dinah! 1977 TV Series Himself
New American Bandstand 1965 1974 TV Series Himself

Archive Footage

Archive Footage

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon 2013 Documentary Himself
Unsung 2010 TV Series documentary Himself

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