by Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
On January 13 legendary R&B crooner, Teddy Pendergrass passed on after losing his battle with colon cancer. Funeral arrangements for his homecoming have recently been announced (see PDF below). Saturday, January 23, his family will lay him to rest at the West Laurel Hill cemetary in Bala Cynwyd, PA. The funeral service will be at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist church in Philadelphia.
Born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, Sr. in Kingstree, South Carolina, Pendergrass began his career in music as a drummer with the group "The Cadillacs." Soon after he joined Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and brought us hits like "If you don't know me by now" and "I miss you."
When he launched his solo career he struck gold with hits like "Turn off the lights" and "Close the door."
Famous for his velvety, baritone vocals that brought us hits like "Love TKO" and "I don't love you anymore." Pendergrass was infamous for his subtle yet sexual provocative stage presence that drove female fans wild.
No other artist of his time could match his live performances. Female fans would be screaming before the singer even took to the stage.
"He was a legend and a force to be reckoned with when it came to his music," recalled longtime fan, Ella Morris. "I can still see my parents dancing to his music as it blasted from our record player."
In 1982, while on his way to a party in Philadelphia, the brakes on Pendergrass' Rolls-Royce failed causing him to crash and hit a tree. The singer injured his spinal cord which left him paralyzed from the waist down.
For almost three years, Pendergrass remained out of the public eye. 1985 marked his first of many sporadic appearances back to the stage after the accident. His remarkable rendition of "Reach out and touch somebody's hand" at the Live Aid concert in his Philadelphia hometown brought the house down.
Pendergrass was 59 years-old and leaves several children and his wife, Joan to mourn his passing. Preview his funeral arrangements below or click here here.
The Black Urban Times
On January 13 legendary R&B crooner, Teddy Pendergrass passed on after losing his battle with colon cancer. Funeral arrangements for his homecoming have recently been announced (see PDF below). Saturday, January 23, his family will lay him to rest at the West Laurel Hill cemetary in Bala Cynwyd, PA. The funeral service will be at the Enon Tabernacle Baptist church in Philadelphia.
Born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, Sr. in Kingstree, South Carolina, Pendergrass began his career in music as a drummer with the group "The Cadillacs." Soon after he joined Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and brought us hits like "If you don't know me by now" and "I miss you."
When he launched his solo career he struck gold with hits like "Turn off the lights" and "Close the door."
Famous for his velvety, baritone vocals that brought us hits like "Love TKO" and "I don't love you anymore." Pendergrass was infamous for his subtle yet sexual provocative stage presence that drove female fans wild.
No other artist of his time could match his live performances. Female fans would be screaming before the singer even took to the stage.
"He was a legend and a force to be reckoned with when it came to his music," recalled longtime fan, Ella Morris. "I can still see my parents dancing to his music as it blasted from our record player."
In 1982, while on his way to a party in Philadelphia, the brakes on Pendergrass' Rolls-Royce failed causing him to crash and hit a tree. The singer injured his spinal cord which left him paralyzed from the waist down.
For almost three years, Pendergrass remained out of the public eye. 1985 marked his first of many sporadic appearances back to the stage after the accident. His remarkable rendition of "Reach out and touch somebody's hand" at the Live Aid concert in his Philadelphia hometown brought the house down.
Pendergrass was 59 years-old and leaves several children and his wife, Joan to mourn his passing. Preview his funeral arrangements below or click here here.
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