Singer teddy pendergrass biography

Musician Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, known popularly as Teddy Pendergrass, was born on March 26, 1950, to Ida Geraldine (Epps) and Jesse Pendergrass in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His father left the family when Pendergrass was young and was killed in 1962. Pendergrass began singing at the age of two in his local church and was ordained a minister at the age of ten. He attended McIntyre Elementary, where he sang in the school choir, and Thomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia, where he sang with the Edison Mastersingers. Pendergrass also sang with the Philadelphia All City School Choir, and the Philadelphia Boys Choir. He taught himself how to play the drums at the age of thirteen and dropped out of school in the eleventh grade after being offered a job playing the drums in a local band called The Cadillacs.

In 1970, Pendergrass was recruited to play the drums for the group, The Blue Notes. The following year, The Blue Notes lead singer quit and Pendergrass was promoted to lead singer. The group signed a contract with Philadelphia International Records in 1971 and released their first album with their first single bearing the same name – I Miss You in 1972, with Pendergrass singing the lead vocals. Over the next few years, the group released a steady stream of hit singles and albums, including “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” “The Love I Lost,” and “Wake Up Everybody,” which reached platinum status after selling over one million copies worldwide.

Pendergrass left the group in 1975 and started his solo career. He signed a contract with Philadelphia International Records in 1976 and released his self-titled album, Teddy Pendergrass, in 1977. The album included singles “I Don’t Love You Anymore,” and “The Whole Town’s Laughing At Me,” and quickly reached platinum status. Between 1977 and 1981, Pendergrass had five consecutive platinum (million-selling) albums; Life Is A Song Worth Singing (1978), Teddy (1979), TP (1

Teddy Pendergrass was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass March 26th, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised in Philadelphia at a young age he began singing gospel and playing drums in church. At age 10, he became an ordained minister, and as a teen Pendergrass played drums for the vocal group The Cadillacs.

His rhythmic skills earned him a spot in The Blue Notes, led by Harold Melvin. In 1970, Pendergrass stepped out from behind the drumkit and became the lead singer. In 1972, the newly revamped Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes signed with Philadelphia International Records (PIR) and scored their first Top 10 R&B hit with “I Miss You,”. The group is best known for 1972’s “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” which topped the US R&B chart and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. With Pendergrass as the lead, The Blue Notes also topped the R&B charts with “The Love I Lost” (1973) and “Wake Up Everybody” (1975).

In 1975, Pendergrass left the group and established a solo career releasing his self-titled solo debut, a Top 10 R&B hit that achieved platinum sales. He received his first Grammy nomination (for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male) for his 1978 single “Close The Door.” Pendergrass made history for being the first black singer to have five consecutive platinum albums. Notable singles include “Turn off The Light’s,” and “Love TKO” his streak ran from 1977’s Teddy Pendergrass to 1981’s It’s Time for Love.

A 1982 car accident in Philadelphia left Pendergrass paralyzed from the chest down and confined to a wheelchair. The singer completed physical therapy and, against all odds, returned in 1984 with Love Language, featuring “Hold Me,” a duet with Whitney Houston. To date that album has sold over 2 million copies. In 1985 he performed in “Live Aid” his first live performance since the accident.   In 1998 he published his memoirs life in the book “Truly Blessed”

In that same year, Pendergrass released his fourt

American soul and R&B singer-songwriter (1950–2010)

Musical artist

Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Pendergrass lived most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musical fame as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. After leaving the group in 1976, Pendergrass launched a successful solo career under the Philadelphia International label, releasing five consecutive platinum albums (a record at the time for an African-American R&B artist). Pendergrass's career was suspended after a March 1982 car crash left him paralyzed from the chest down. Pendergrass continued his successful solo career until announcing his retirement in 2007. He died from respiratory failure in January 2010.

Early life

Teddy Pendergrass was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on March 26, 1950, in Kingstree, South Carolina. He was the only child of Jesse and Ida Geraldine (née Epps) Pendergrass. Ida suffered six miscarriages before successfully giving birth to Teddy. When Pendergrass was very young, his father left the family. As he grew older, his mother promised him that she would find his father so that they could meet. She fulfilled that promise, and Teddy met his father when he was 11 years old. Not long after, Jesse was stabbed to death on June 13, 1962, during an altercation with another man. He was 47 years of age. Pendergrass grew up in the impoverished section of North Philadelphia and often sang at church. He dreamed of being a pastor and got his wish when, at the age of 10, he was ordained a minister (according to author Robert Ewell Greene). Pendergrass also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of his church.

He attended Thomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia. He sang with the Edison Mastersingers.