Soul Singer Teddy Pendergrass Has Died

[winston]

by ETonline.com Jan 14, 2010 / 12:01 am

R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass passed away Wednesday at the age of 59, according to the Associated Press.

Pendergrass was bound to a wheelchair for the final 28 years of his life following a devastating car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down.

His son, Teddy Pendergrass II said, "He will live on through his music." He explained that his father had "a difficult recovery" from colon cancer surgery eight months ago.

A friend and collaborator of Pendergrass', Kenny Gamble, told the AP, "He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist. He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans."

Though it was difficult to project vocally as he did prior to the accident, Pendergrass did return to singing just one year after the incident with the release of his album "Love Language." He also established the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to assist other victims of spinal cord injuries.

Pendergrass died in Philadelphia in a hospital where he had spent his final months.

[rickenbrother]

What a great, powerful and soulful voice he had! RIP Teddy!

[beatlefreak]

Sad to hear...

[longhouse]

RIP

There must be an amazing choir in the great beyond.