222, This story has been shared 158 times. Here’s Where To Watch 'Shrek' on Streaming, 'The Runaway Bunny' on HBO Max Will Make Millennials Sob, 'Space Jam 2' Serves Up A Bit Of The Old Ultraviolence By Way Of "The Droogs" From 'A Clockwork Orange', Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Dark Knight Rises' on HBO, The Epic Closeout of Christopher Nolan’s Batman Movie Trilogy, What Time Will ‘Nobody’ Be on VOD? Rated TVMA • 106 minutes. 543, This story has been shared 537 times. 125. Like many Pendergrass fans, Watson admired the popular artist. ", Watson was dropped by her modeling agency before her career could even get off the ground and says that she was forced back into sex work to support herself. In 1982, charismatic soul singer Teddy Pendergrass was at the peak of his career when he slammed his Rolls Royce into a tree, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Though it’s all conjecture, Pendergrass’ run-ins with the Philadelphia Black Mafia, who allegedly murdered Lang, and the Philadelphia Police Department, who he was sueing at the time of the crash, give cause for wonder. With a documentary about his life titled You Don't Know Me out now, we take a look back at the life of an underrated talent, and how a devastating accident didn't stop him. It was his second (after Live! I was clean and sober, and I had me back. You couldn't get any bigger than he was, and he was a very handsome man, I must say. 'Mystery Woman' Involved In Teddy Pendergrass' Paralyzing Accident Speaks Out, 30 Years Later (VIDEO), Leni Sinclair/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images. "I went to the hospital where he was and there was a woman there. The world first heard Pendergrass as a member of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, part of “The Philly Sound,” curated by the writing and production team of Kennth Gamble and Leon Huff. With future band mate Lloyd Lloyd Parks, he’d skip school and sing on street corners. While attending public school, he sang in the citywide McIntyre Elementary School Choir and in the All-City Stetson Junior High School Choir. What Time Is ‘All American’ on Tonight? Watson was relatively unhurt -- she had contusions and a chipped tooth -- so she boarded the ambulance with Pendergrass and accompanied him to the hospital. Two days after the accident, news broke of Watson's past, including the gender confirmation surgery she'd undergone five years prior ("I don't think Teddy knew about my transition at all," she says today) and her multiple arrests for prostitution. With Teddy Pendergrass, Sammy Davis Jr., Ida Pendergrass, Mikido Soto Jr.. He had five multi-platinum albums behind him, sold out shows wherever he played, and was branching into new business ventures, including clothing lines and product endorsements. Where to Watch the Movie ‘Monday’ Starring Sebastian Stan, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Soul' on Netflix, a Taiwanese Potboiler Blending Elements of Horror, Sci-fi, Mystery and Melodrama. Teddy Pendergrass started singing gospel music in Philadelphia churches, becoming an ordained minister at ten years old. }, Like Us On Facebook | Follow Us On Twitter. "Someone called me that knew Teddy's mother and they said, 'Tenika, you have to get here quick because Teddy's mother wants to see you,'" she says. "Teddy was a big star," she remembers. 338, This story has been shared 243 times. on Netflix, a True-Crime Documentary About a Mom Who Used MySpace to Find Her Daughter's Killer, 'The View': Chelsea Clinton Demands Trump Do "The Right Thing" And Release Vaccine Pics, Meghan McCain and Joy Behar Clash Over Jim Jordan's Fauci Rant: "Your Argument Is Against Government, Not Fauci". “Teddy Pendergrass – If You Don’t Know Me,” the upcoming feature documentary that tells the tumultuous life story of the R&B and soul legend, will go out on Showtime in the U.S. and… The two struck up a conversation and when Watson said it was time for her to go home, Pendergrass offered her a ride. Pendergrass became an ordained minister at the age of 10 and learned how to hold an audience in the palm of his hand. By his late teens, Pendergrass was a … With his remarkable talent, striking good looks and burning sexuality, the 31-year-old R&B singer was on the verge of crossing over into the pop mainstream when tragedy struck. The next moments were a blur. While it’s bittersweet to contemplate what might have happened if not for his accident, his mark on modern music is undeniable and his legacy is substantial and secure. The story of his rise to fame and comeback from the brink is the subject of the Showtime documentary Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me. © 2021 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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There’s also an outstanding car loan and a lawsuit by a former songwriting partner. “One guy said to me: ‘Teddy Pendergrass was an early form of Viagra,’” says Olivia Lichtenstein, the documentary’s director. airs Sundays at 9 p.m. I got hooked on them," Watson admits. She said, 'Well, you're not going to see him before his son does,' and she caused this big scene," Watson says. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. A self-taught drummer, Pendergrass had a teen pop vocal group when he was 15. In support of the feature-length documentary ‘Teddy Pendergrass – If You Don’t Know Me’, Mixmag presents ‘Teddy Pendergrass: The Remixes’. Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me . In the wake of the accident, questions emerged about this mystery woman. A late night car crash would leave him paralyzed from the chest down. teddy_pendergrass 0 points 1 point 2 points 5 years ago I was super sidetracked I don't know the point of what I was trying to say there. In 1982, charismatic soul singer Teddy Pendergrass was at the peak of his career when he slammed his Rolls Royce into a tree, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. ", Back then, Watson, a former sex worker, lived near the studio where Pendergrass recorded his music, and one day, she saw him walking down the street. Seeing Jackie Wilson at the age of 13 showed him what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. On the night of March 18, 1982, Pendergrass was in a car crash after the brakes on his Rolls Royce failed. I remember Teddy Pendergrass’ accident and the shock waves it sent through popular music. 'Them' Director Nelson Cragg Breaks Down the Horror Series' Most Intense Scenes, Deborah Ayorinde Is a Revelation in 'Them', 'Falcon and Winter Soldier' Easter Eggs: 5 Things You May Have Missed in Episode 5. Teddy Pendergrass – If You Don’t Know Me still. Tyrese Gibson will star as singer-songwriter Teddy Pendergrass in a biopic set up with Warner Bros., which has acquired the life rights to the late singer. Celebrities died young, that was nothing new, but you never saw them get sick or injured. At first, there were rumors and speculation about the cause and details surrounding the accident, but Pendergrass remained focused on his recovery and his music. He met his father only once, at the age of 11, before he was murdered. She also became addicted to drugs. February is the month for lovers and February 21 is the date on which a full length feature length documentary will be released on Teddy Pendergrass – If You Don’t Know Me.The documentary will tell the powerful and moving story of R&B soul legend, who … A&E's 'WWE Legends' Documentary Live Stream: How To Watch 'Biography: "Stone Cold" Steve Austin' Live. We made it easy for you to exercise your right to vote! When Is 'Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir' Season 4 Coming Out? 'The Circle' on Netflix: Where Was Season 2 Filmed? Instead of talking with Pendergrass, Watson says she ran away. Teddy Pendergrass overcame many challenges in life. I had my strength back.". 734, This story has been shared 543 times. In truth, most probably do not know much of the detail, but thankfully a long overdue documentary, entitled Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me, is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and VOD as of September 13th through MVD Visual. Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me is well crafted and richly detailed and will appeal to both longtime fans and new listeners. The story of his rise to fame and comeback from the brink is the subject of the Showtime documentary Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me. A bank foreclosed on his Penn Valley, Pa., home over the summer — the property is slated for sheriff’s sale next month. 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And Then The Pandemic Happens, ‘Arlo the Alligator’ Sequel: Good News, There’s An 'Arlo' Animated Series Coming To Netflix, Is 'Shrek' On Netflix? She said, 'If you want to talk to Teddy his out in the car.'". "So I got myself together and went to where his mother was. Pendergrass was the African-American artist to record five consecutive platinum albums, which include Life Is a Song Worth Singing (1978) and Teddy (1979). 384, This story has been shared 380 times. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window). A new documentary about seminal soul singer Teddy Pendergrass, If You Don’t Know Me, will premiere February 8th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Showtime. But Teddy Pendergrass was stronger than that. How to Watch Season 3, Episode 10 Live, Morrissey Calls Out 'The Simpsons' "Unapologetically Hurtful and Racist" Parody. He broke his neck and was paralyzed from the chest down. Though there were no other vehicles involved in the crash, there was a passenger in Pendergrass' car. Today is National Voter Registration Day! Coast to Coast) and final live album. "He called me over to his car -- it was a Rolls Royce," Watson says. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. Though Melvin got top billing, Pendergrass was the lead singer, leading to confusion and resentment. A mock funeral was staged, where Pendergrass wore a sheet over his head while loved ones told him how his death would affect them. "First, the car started speeding up really fast, and I was wondering, 'Was he driving fast?' Benjamin H. Smith is a New York based writer, producer and musician. Watson, too, kept quiet. It was never recorded and within a month his life would turn upside down. Silken-voiced and impossibly smooth, Teddy Pendergrass was one of the biggest stars … He considered suicide and may have gone through with it if not for the help of psychotherapist Dr. Dan Gottlieb, himself a quadriplegic. @media only screen and (min-width : 500px) {.ethanmobile { display: none; }
He didn’t leave much else. -- but he wasn't. Harold Melvin Teddy Pendergrass Bernard Wilson Lawrence Brown Lloyd Parks In light of these facts, rumors swirled that Watson and Pendergrass were intimately involved during the moment of the crash. Taaz Lang, his first manager (and also lover) was killed outside her home in 1978. 537, This story has been shared 384 times. 352, This story has been shared 338 times. Directed by Olivia Lichtenstein. But it was the closure that I needed," she says. 147, This story has been shared 125 times. Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me review – soul star stories . "hopefully I'll stay away," doesn't sound too convincing. In fact, in the 30 years since the accident, Watson has rarely spoken about what happened that day or about the nature of her relationship with Pendergrass. 380, This story has been shared 352 times. As a vocalist, Pendergrass could plead like Wilson, had a rasp like David Ruffin and knew how to put a song over like Otis Redding, grinding out a phrase and going from the top to the bottom of his range for dramatic effect. That's when Watson and Pendergrass came face to face for the first time in three decades. Though there were no other vehicles involved in the crash, there was a passenger in Pendergrass' car. 1,435, This story has been shared 1,258 times. "The doctor started giving me Valium, and the Valium made me feel like I could deal with things better. Friends claim other cars of his had been found with their brake lines cut and vandalized. Documentary charting the life, music and towering achievements of soul singer Teddy Pendergrass, from his origins and early life in Philadelphia, through his … An electrifying figure in his live performances and physical presence, the idea of him wheelchair bound for the rest of his life seemed a fate worse than death; Pendergrass would come close to taking his own life. Soon after the accident, Watson tried to reach out to Pendergrass, but was unsuccessful. Brinkley. The album went gold. Her name was Tenika Watson, a nightclub … It was an amazing moment that we are hoping to do again. Pendergrass died in 2010 of colon cancer. Follow him on Twitter:@BHSmithNYC. It was out of control," Watson says. That's when both of their lives would change. When Pendergrass went solo, Melvin asked Gamble and Huff to drop him. "His music was always playing. Raised by a single mother, he grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia where you were either “predator or prey,” according to childhood friend L.T. He was preparing to take his career to the next level and crossover into the pop charts with a version of “Lady,” penned by Lional Richie and a hit for country singer Kenny Rogers a year earlier. Part of MultiCultural/HPMG News. This documentary explores the rise of Teddy Pendergrass, the first male African American artist to record five consecutive platinum albums against the backdrop of 1960s America, and his comeback after a life-changing accident. "The hardest thing for me to read was for them to insinuate that there was a sex act going [on]," she says. 5 talking about this. After the murder of manager and girlfriend Tazz Lang, he hooked up with Alice Cooper manager Shep Gordon, who’s winning pitch was “I get as high as you but I keep it together and I make sure I have the cash.” Gordon envisioned Pendergrass as “The Black Elvis,” and booked a series of concerts “…For Women Only,” serving them chocolate teddy bear lollipops at the door to “get them crazy.” It worked like a charm. ©2021 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Episode 5 Recap: Who Will Wield the Shield? “They took that sheet off of his face and Teddy sat up in that chair and said ‘I don’t want to die.’ He said, ‘I want to live,” wife Karen Still tells us. "Then I noticed he was struggling with the wheel, and all of a sudden I heard this great big bang.". PHILADELPHIA — Teddy Pendergrass left an indelible music legacy when he died in January. Pendergrass says learning he was a paraplegic was the lowest he’d ever been. She didn't stay, however, and only learned about Pendergrass' paralysis when it was reported in the newspapers. "I just left.". Pendergrass did a concert at the Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, California, on February 14, 2002, entitled "The Power of Love". But just the wording in your post is setting yourself up for failure. This documentary explores the rise of Teddy Pendergrass, the first male African American artist to record five consecutive platinum albums against the backdrop of 1960s America, and his comeback after a life-changing accident. 243, This story has been shared 222 times. "I became strung out on drugs later. In the wake of the accident, questions emerged about this mystery woman. Teddy Pendergrass was riding high in early 1982. Her name was Tenika Watson, a nightclub performer and transgender woman. His father, whom he scarcely knew, was stabbed to death. When Will 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' Finale Premiere on Disney+? If it at times flirts with conspiracy theories with little factual background, its portrait of Pendergrass himself is authentic and definitive. A live performance from Feb. 1982 shows Pendergrass taking the song to vocal and emotional heights unimaginable in Rogers’ version. 'Mare of Easttown' Cast Guide: Who's Who In The HBO Kate Winslet Detective Drama? In October of 2016 the TJPF organized an Exhibition at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, where we showcased Teddys Memorabilia. Sign up for membership to become a founding member and help shape HuffPost's next chapter. Teddy Pendergrass Car Accident - What Happened?In 1982, Teddy Pendergrass was on top of the world. The legendary singer-songwriter Teddy Pendergrass … "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" "I had been through a lot and I'm sure he had too. Pendergrass’ goal now became to sing again. Pendergrass broke out in the early 1970s … Will There Be a Season 2 of 'The Baker and Beauty' on Netflix? Pendergrass’ rise from street kid to putative pop star is perfectly chronicled in Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me, a new feature-length film about the singer’s colourful life. 'The Nevers' Episode 2 Ending Explained: Who's the Real Villain? 'Riverdale': Cheryl and Veronica Team up in This Exclusive Comics Preview, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Songbird' on Hulu, a Slapdash Thriller Hoping to Profit on COVID Paranoia, 7 Shows Like 'Big Sky' to Watch While You're Waiting for New Episodes. Teddy Pendergrass … "I thought he was a pimp because I wasn't used to people really having Rolls Royces.". He had just exited the group that gave him … When Will 'Mortal Kombat' Be Released On HBO Max? The other time they met was at a popular club in Philadelphia, where Watson was working as a nightclub entertainer and model. In 1985, he performed live for the first time in three years in front of a global audience of millions at Live Aid in Philadelphia. The concert became the album From Teddy, With Love, which was released on the Razor & Tie record label later that year. 'Mare of Easttown' Series Premiere Recap: Easttown and Down, 'Mare of Easttown' Episode 1 Introduces the Most Sympathetic Murder Victim Since 'Twin Peaks' Laura Palmer, 'The Circle': How to Get Cast on Season 3, New Movies + Shows to Watch this Weekend: 'The Circle' on Netflix + More. As a solo artist, Pendergrass put his good looks to good use while singing about love and lust in explicit terms. 158, This story has been shared 156 times. A feature music documentary about the rise and resurrection of soul superstar Teddy Pendergrass On Netflix, A Spanish Comedy With A Big Heart & Stellar Cast, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Your Name Engraved Herein' on Netflix, Taiwan's Most Popular LGBTQ+ Film, Abby and Riley Are Inspiring Lots Of 'Happiest Season' Fanfiction. “Business is business,” Gamble says. This story has been shared 1,435 times. ", In 2002, Watson finally got her chance to meet with Pendergrass. They refused. 1,258, This story has been shared 734 times. 156, This story has been shared 147 times. Teddy Pendergrass was known as the “Black Elvis.” He was the first black male singer to record five consecutive multi-platinum albums in the U.S. 'The Circle': What Time Will New Episodes of Season 2 Be Added to Netflix? "The next thing I know, the press was there," she says. Rumors swirled that he was drunk (he wasn’t) and with a transgender woman (he was and so what?). ET on OWN. How to Watch the Bob Odenkirk Movie, Gal Gadot Used Princess Diana as Inspiration for Wonder Woman, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Lupe' On HBO Max, A Drama That Explores Themes Of Immigration & Transgender Identity, Stream It Or Skip It: 'So My Grandma's A Lesbian!' Teddy Pendergrass had one of the most powerful soul voices of all time, both during his time with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, and his successful solo career. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! 'Below Deck Sailing Yacht' Exclusive: Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Drunk Dani, James Franco Shot Down Anne Hathaway's Acting Advice During Infamous Oscars Telecast: "Don't Tell Me How to Be Funny", Stream It Or Skip It: 'Why Did You Kill Me?' He would record 6 more albums, 4 of which went gold, before his death in 2010 at the age of 59. While friends enlisted to fight in Vietnam rather than take their chances as a young black man on the streets of “Philthy-delphia,” Pendergrass says, “I never felt hopeless like that.”. Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me 9.45pm, BBC Two.
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