Teddy Pendergrass

Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer and 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 for any artist at the time).

In March 1982, a car crash left Pendergrass paralyzed from the chest down. Pendergrass continued his solo career until announcing his retirement in 2007. He died from respiratory failure in January 2010.

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. Before his birth, Ida had experienced six miscarriages. When he was still very young, his father left the family. Years later, after his mother had promised to locate him, Pendergrass met his father at the age of 11. Shortly afterward, on June 13, 1962, Jesse Pendergrass was stabbed to death at age 47 during an altercation with another man. Pendergrass was raised in an impoverished area of North Philadelphia and frequently sang in church. He hoped to become a pastor and, according to author Robert Ewell Greene, was ordained a minister at the age of 10. During the same period, he began playing drums and also served as a junior deacon in his church.