CANDLELIT CHRONICLES: HISTORIC HAUNTS

RIP TEDDY

Teddy Pendergrass is dead, at age 59. I am stunned, distraught, grieving. I felt the loss of Michael Jackson's death, of Isaac Hayes' death, but now, this is the end of an era. I am still grieving over Rick James' demise in August 2004, but this is much deeper.





         I grew up in a lower-middle-class all-white household in an all-white upscale community. We lived about 20 miles from a city that had a high black majority, but no blacks resided in our city until I was late in high school. I lived in a bigoted household, but I've always supported multicultural diversity and the underdog. From the beginning I've had a predilection for Soul, Blues, and Jazz. I don't like "white" pop music and never have. I'm a Soul Woman through and through.





         Teddy was the theme singer of my young adult married years, despite the fact that I married a foul-mouthed racist. Teddy was always there in the backdrop, sultry-voiced, sensual, appealing, romantic yet with that hint of the illicit. When the accident paralyzed him, I grieved and worried. When he turned his life around 180 degrees, giving his heart and soul to Jesus, marrying a fine loving woman and singing Praise music, I rejoiced.

Today I grieve for the loss of an individual who represented the best of my younger years.





Teddy Pendergrass, may you truly Rest in Peace.

http://www.popeater.com/2010/01/14/teddy-pendergrass-dead/





Photo credits:


http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_1_3?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-keywords=...





and





http://blog.taragana.com/e/2010/01/14/teddy-pendergrass-love-tko-lyrics-80214/