Teddy Pendergrass 1950 - 2010

January 14, 2010 5:39 AM

Singer Teddy Pendergrass has passed away.

Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass, Sr. died yesterday at a hospital in the Philadelphia area.
Pendergrass, who began his career as a drummer, rose to fame when he became the lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, with hits such as If You Don't Know Me By Now and I Miss You.

He later went solo, with hits such as The More I Get the More I Want and Close The Door. In 1982 he was involved in a car accident where the brakes of his Rolls Royce failed, and he hit a tree. He suffered a spinal cord injury paralyzing him from the waist down.

After his accident he continued performing and recording throughout the 80's and 90's.

In 2009, Pendergrass underwent colon cancer surgery from which he had difficulty recovering. He passed away on January 13, 2010, at age 59, at Bryn Mawr Hospital in suburban Philadelphia.

posted by svenni (69 comments total)

This is awful. It's as if someone famous is dying, like, every day.
posted by MuffinMan at 5:41 AM on January 14, 2010

RIP Teddy. TSOP won't be the same without you.
posted by fixedgear at 5:41 AM on January 14, 2010

"You got! You got! You got! What I neeed!" Man's crazy. Th'ow your panties on the stage.
posted by grubi at 5:43 AM on January 14, 2010 [5 favorites]

If You don't Know Me By Now is one of those songs that just seems like it's always been there. I think about him every time I'm on that stretch of Lincoln Drive where he had his accident. RIP.
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 5:44 AM on January 14, 2010

RIP Teddy P.
posted by Pollomacho at 6:05 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by ob at 6:06 AM on January 14, 2010

Oh my goodness. Grew up listening to Teddy P. He _was_ Phildelphia Soul for some of us.

RIP, Teddy P.

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posted by magstheaxe at 6:16 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

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posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 6:20 AM on January 14, 2010

I was going to post this, but I have had Love TKO on repeat for hours. I swear that man could stand 50 feet away, sing "Ooooooh", with such an intensity it would both melt a woman's heart and fry a chicken in the same breath. I'm guessin he got plently greasy either way. Hopefully, if folks didn't know him by now, they will realize what they have been missing.

Guess I better let it go.
posted by timsteil at 6:20 AM on January 14, 2010 [5 favorites]

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posted by Joe Beese at 6:23 AM on January 14, 2010

If you don't know by now, you will never never know.

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posted by jonp72 at 6:27 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by motty at 6:27 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by hecho de la basura at 6:27 AM on January 14, 2010

♪
posted by Smart Dalek at 6:27 AM on January 14, 2010

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Such an amazing voice.
posted by fuse theorem at 6:28 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Jeff_Larson at 6:33 AM on January 14, 2010

Teddy Pendergrass was a great singer, both solo and with Melvin and the Blue Notes.

My cousin has said for a long time that she wants If You Don't Know Me By Now to be played at her funeral.
posted by Kattullus at 6:57 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

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posted by flapjax at midnite at 6:59 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by bjgeiger at 7:03 AM on January 14, 2010

Oh no. He was such an incredible singer. :(

Here's Joy.

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posted by zarq at 7:03 AM on January 14, 2010

What a great loss.
posted by Leezie at 7:05 AM on January 14, 2010

My personal favorite is Come On Over To My Place. It's so over the top and perfect.
posted by four panels at 7:06 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

It's so good lovin' somebody, when somebody loves you back.

That's a fact.

RIP, Teddy.
posted by brand-gnu at 7:11 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Kinbote at 7:14 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by SNACKeR at 7:17 AM on January 14, 2010

Famous for his women only tours, in which everyone in the audience was given a teddy bear.
posted by pianomover at 7:21 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

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posted by fatbaq at 7:24 AM on January 14, 2010

In My Time was my favorite (and seems particularly apt here).
posted by AgentRocket at 7:30 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

I can't listen to Miss You and not tear up a little.

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posted by waraw at 7:50 AM on January 14, 2010

Eddy Murphy on Teddy Pendergrass's voice. (note: NSFW language and some outdated attitudes about women.) this was what first inspired me to listen to him, believe it or not. he'll be missed.
posted by shmegegge at 7:51 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

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posted by chihiro at 7:56 AM on January 14, 2010

Loved him. I heard him first when I was about 11 and just discovering R&B (via NYC's KissFM and WBLS stations). What a voice. A true loss. He had a bad last few years. But he gave so much.

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posted by fourcheesemac at 7:58 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by white_devil at 8:01 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by lord_wolf at 8:07 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Go Banana at 8:08 AM on January 14, 2010

I'm glad he was able to leave so much behind.

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posted by Sailormom at 8:18 AM on January 14, 2010

THat's weird i've been singing love TKO for the last couple of days and was even thinking of turning it into a ring tone.
posted by djduckie at 8:36 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Ber at 8:51 AM on January 14, 2010

If there's a better summation of the sublime majesty of soul in the past 30 years than "Love TKO" I haven't heard it.

Rest in peace, sir.
posted by blucevalo at 8:56 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

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posted by box at 9:43 AM on January 14, 2010

After Teddy Pendergrass gets through afterlife orientation and settles in to his bungalow, I'm betting one of the first visits he gets is going to be Michael Jackson and Art Clokey dropping by together to start planning what jokes they're going to pull on Eddy Murphy.
posted by pracowity at 9:56 AM on January 14, 2010 [2 favorites]

This sucks. His voice was phenomenal, literally ripping panties off women with his sound.
posted by CountSpatula at 10:08 AM on January 14, 2010

Sad to hear this...TP was special to me. "Love TKO" was playing on the stereo when I lost my virginity. I may be one of the few who looks back fondly on that event, in part because of Teddy.

RIP dear man.
posted by mnb64 at 10:10 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by dammitjim at 10:33 AM on January 14, 2010

RIP, Teddy. Now you can join Marvin, Barry, Luther, and James in a truly soulful, funky, sexy chorus from on high.

Teddy's voice was just...downright chilling. In a good way.
posted by davidmsc at 10:37 AM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

*sigh*

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posted by scody at 10:57 AM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Scoo at 10:59 AM on January 14, 2010

It seems like an icon from my life is passing every week. I'm starting to feel a little numb.

Goodbye, Teddy P.
posted by pjern at 11:04 AM on January 14, 2010

He was only 59? I thought he was way older than that.
posted by tkchrist at 11:12 AM on January 14, 2010

One of the most powerful voices ever (witness "Only You"). He will indeed be sorely missed - "The Love I Lost" is also sadly appropriate today. And I don't want to hear any more shit about how disco sucks, ever. Now if you'll excuse me, I have something in my eye.
posted by viborg at 12:32 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by Joey Michaels at 12:43 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by iam2bz2p at 1:01 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by kimota at 1:06 PM on January 14, 2010

I remember watching this live on TV. Only later did I learn he was the guy singing "If You Don't Know Me By Now".

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posted by evilcolonel at 1:09 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by bearwife at 1:45 PM on January 14, 2010

As you might imgaine, this has been all over the news here in Philly. Here's a gem. Teddy's Tableside Manners If you don't want to click:

A server who once waited on the amazing R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who died of colon cancer yesterday, passed along this anecdote: Pendergrass brought his own sterling silver Tiffany's straw with him to the restaurant and drank champagne through it. Classy AND eco-friendly. Let this be a lesson in superstar style to young celebrities when dining out.

posted by fixedgear at 2:10 PM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Well...fuck. That's just not fair. The heavens can't have him. Give him back. Take Cheney instead.

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posted by dejah420 at 2:11 PM on January 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

For seductive, sultry, male R&B singers, there was no bigger or better. RIP, Teddy.
posted by mrgrimm at 2:19 PM on January 14, 2010

Not a good year for Teddies.
posted by Evilspork at 2:51 PM on January 14, 2010

At my store, there's a book dealer who's related to a prominent Nigerian family who sells his excess off to us. One day, about two years ago, one of our semi-homeless sellers was behind him in line and he walked up to him and said 'hey brother, anybody ever tell you you look a lot like Teddy Pendergrass?' (for the record, he does). He replied in his clipped British colonial accent "Well, Teddy was popular with the ladies.." "Damn straight, baby...'

Anyways, the Nigerian Teddy-look-alike came in to day and I asked him if he remembered that day, and he said yes. I asked if he had heard about Teddy's death. He said "Yes. Shame"

Yes. A damned shame.
posted by jonmc at 4:44 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by mkim at 5:23 PM on January 14, 2010

♪.
posted by Minus215Cee at 5:38 PM on January 14, 2010

One more amazing voice I'll never hear live. Still, he leaves me with some wonderful memories. *sigh*
posted by MuChao at 6:36 PM on January 14, 2010

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posted by pianoboy at 6:46 PM on January 14, 2010

Another Philadelphia legend.

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posted by Mael Oui at 8:23 PM on January 14, 2010

When I was young, I knew that if it was Friday night and Teddy was playing, well, that meant I had to stay in my room playing Barbies ... or get shipped to grandma's. I knew there was no way I was getting in trouble for anything I did if my mom was playing Teddy. Thank you, Teddy, for the music and for saving my butt from many a spanking!
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 8:33 PM on January 14, 2010 [3 favorites]

Old school Teddy -- my personal fave: Get Out (and let me cry)
posted by PeterMcDermott at 11:22 AM on January 15, 2010

Love TKO on Soul Train. Sexy as hell.
posted by vronsky at 11:25 AM on January 15, 2010

Something that just dawned on me....couldn't all these thoughts re Teddy, written on this particular page, be considered "Blue Notes"?
posted by timsteil at 12:56 PM on January 15, 2010 [1 favorite]