Theodore DeReese, known by most as Teddy, Pendergrass was born on March 26, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  From a young age he sang in choirs and small groups and by his late teens he became the drummer for a local vocal group, The Cadillacs.

Teddy Pendergrass

Life didn’t promise to be wonderful.

Theodore DeReese, known by most as Teddy, Pendergrass was born on March 26, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  From a young age he sang in choirs and small groups and by his late teens he became the drummer for a local vocal group, The Cadillacs.  In the late 1960’s The Cadillacs merged with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, a more established group and Teddy was soon invited to become the lead singer for the group.  During his time with the Blue Notes, Teddy recorded several hits including Bad Luck, I Miss You, and the popular If You Don’t Know Me By Now. 

Despite the popularity of the group, conflict ensued between its members, particularly between Melvin and Pendergrass.  Before long Teddy Pendergrass launched his own solo career and released several hit singles including Close the Door, I Don’t Love You Anymore, and The More I Get the More I Want.  In 1976 Pendergrass signed with Philadelphia International Records and released his first solo album, Teddy Pendergrass in 1977.  This album was followed by Life is a Song Worth Singing in 1978 then both Teddy and Teddy Live (Coast to Coast) in 1979.  All three of these albums reached gold or platinum status.

The years following the release of these three popular albums were very busy for Teddy Pendergrass.  He received Grammy nominations in both 1977 and 1978 in addition to being given an American Music Award and Billboard’s Pop Album New Artist Award.  By the 1980’s Pendergrass’ fifth album, TP, had gone platinum and his singles Turn Off the Lights, Come Go with Me, It’s You I Love, and Can’t We Try were heard all over the country.  The singles Love TKO and I Can’t Live Without Your Love were released on the album It’s Time for Love which went gold in 1981.

At the pinnacle of his career Teddy Pendergrass was in an automobile accident which left his paralyzed from the waist down.  During a two year recovery period Philadelphia International Records released two albums including This One’s For You in 1982 and Heaven Only Knows in 1983.  By 1984 Pendergrass had completed physical therapy and was back on the recording scene under a new contract with Elektra/Asylum. 

His ninth solo career album, Love Language, went gold in 1984 and in the years that followed Pendergrass released a few more albums under Elektra/Asylum and several songs under the Surefire/Wind Up label.  His later years, however, did not involve the stage and on January 13, 2010 Teddy Pendergrass passed away after suffering from colon cancer.

Did you know…
-  Before he launched his solo career Pendergrass left Melvin’s Blue Notes and formed his own Blue Notes but confusion about the groups led to his disbanding the group entirely in order to go solo
-  Pendergrass had a small role in a film titled Soup for One which featured his hit single Close the Door
-  Ten years after his accident, Pendergrass recorded a version of One Shining Moment which is the theme song for March Madness Basketball on CBS

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