Teddy Pendergrass was an indisputable soul legend when he made his Elektra/Asylum debut in 1984. The former Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes lead vocalist and chart-topping solo superstar’s career had been stalled by a 1982 car accident, in which he suffered permanent paralysis from the waist down. After intensive physical therapy, he signed with Asylum and returned with the triumphant “LOVE LANGUAGE.” The album – which included the top 10 AC hit single, “Hold Me,” with vocals from a young Whitney Houston – was later featured prominently as the evocative soundtrack to Alan Rudolph’s 1984 film, Choose Me.

“JOY,” released in 1988, reached #2 on Billboard’s “Top R&B Albums” chart – his highest placing since “TEDDY” in 1979 – with two top 3 R&B hits in “2 A.M.” and the stirring title track. “Joy” proved a #1 smash, Teddy’s first solo chart-topper in a decade.

Pendergrass scored his third career R&B #1 with 1991’s “It Should Have Been You,” featured on his 11th studio album, “TRULY BLESSED.” Teddy’s third and final Elektra release, 1993’s “A LITTLE MORE MAGIC,” saw the singer collaborating with fellow stars like Barry White and labelmate Gerald Levert.

Teddy Pendergrass retired from the music business in 2006. Sadly, he passed away three years later following surgery for colon cancer.

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