Edd’s MANtra: RIP Teddy P

January 14, 2010Edward BowserEdd's MANtra, in the news, music0

Although word spread late last night, I didn’t hear the unfortunate news until this morning – we lost yet another R&B megastar. From abcnews.go.com:

Teddy Pendergrass, the seductive American rhythm-and-blues singer who continued his recording career after he was paralyzed in a 1982 car accident, has died at the age of 59, media reports said on Thursday.

Pendergrass’s son, Teddy Pendergrass II, told the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper that his father died on Wednesday at a Philadelphia-area hospital. He had undergone colon cancer surgery eight months ago and his son said he had a difficult recovery.

Y’all know it hurts me whenever we lose a stellar soul singer. I nearly ran into moving traffic when I heard about Gerald Levert’s passing.

And I don’t even want to think about the day Keith Sweat leaves us. Perish the thought!

Still, I shouldn’t be too upset. Teddy P has been struggling with medical conditions since the early ’80s but he persevered, continuing to release quality music. That very work influenced an entire generation. Just listen anytime Jaheim opens his mouth – that’s Teddy.

And Teddy’s 1980’s hit “Can’t We Try” provides the fuel for one of my favorite songs of all time, Ghostface’s “Camay”:

I love that joint. Only Teddy could make those hooligans into gentlemen.

As you see, Teddy’s gone, but his work lives on.