PHILADELPHIA, PA -- R&B legend Teddy Pendergrass died Wednesday evening at the age of 59.

Pendergrass was known as a powerful crooner with love ballads such as "Turn Off the Lights", "Close the Door", and "Joy".

Pendergrass died after a long illness, according to Lisa Barbaris, who described herself as a close friend and his last publicist.

His family did not reveal details about his illness, but said it was related to complications from the 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed.

"His beloved family surrounded him. The world has lost one of its greatest voices and performers,"" a statement from Barbaris said.

Pendergrass started in music with a group called the Cadillacs, which later merged with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. It was with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes that the world began to recognized the extraordinary vocals of Pendergrass.

In 1982, Pendergrass was involved in a vehicle accident that left him paralyzed. However, he returned to the studio in 1984 to record the album, Love Language (Asylum)

 Print

 E-mail

Facebook

Tweet

 Comments

Web www.mybrotha.com