Teddy Pendergrass

Teddy Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 — Jan. 13, 2010) was an American soul singer from Philadelphia who rose to fame during the first half of the 1970s as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Between 1977 and 1983, he released seven albums and a live disc on PIR, followed by a round of titles on Asylum and Elektra during the subsequent 10-year period.

Background

He was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on Sunday, March 26, 1950 in Philadelphia, the only child of Ida Geraldine (née Epps) and Jesse Pendergrass. When Theodore was young, Jesse abandoned the family and was murdered in 1962.

As a child, Pendergrass sung in his church choir. At age 10, he was ordained a minister. He attended Thomas Edison High School for Boys, where he sang with the Edison Mastersingers. In 1967, he recorded “Angel with Muddy Feet,” a jumpy Motown-tinged tune released on soul-press Up Look. He subsequently drummed for several bands in the Philly area.

In 1970, Pendergrass started drumming for reformed ’50s doo-wopsters The Cadillacs. He was soon spotted by Blue Notes singer Harold Melvin, who enlisted the 20-year-old for his group. During rehearsals, Pendergrass sung along to the set and his rich baritone was quickly noticed by Melvin. He made Pendergrass the lead vocalist and they signed to Philadelphia International Records as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.

Between 1972 and 1975, Pendergrass recorded four albums with the Blue Notes, scoring hits with “I Miss You,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” “The Love I Lost,” “Wake Up Everybody,” and “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” the last of those a disco-crossover hit for Motown singer Thelma Houston.

Despite his breakout star status, Pendergrass had no control of the group, which Melvin formed in 1954. Pendergrass felt his name should be affixed to the Blue Notes nameplate since, as the lead vocalist, audiences confused him for Melvin. In early 1976, Pendergrass left the group but retained their writer/producer team, Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, for a solo career on PIR.

Teddy Pendergrass

Teddy Pendergrass released his self-titled debut solo album on June 12, 1977, on PIR.

The album presents a polished blend of R&B and soul, showcasing Pendergrass’ transition from lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes to a solo artist. It combines upbeat tracks and ballads, balancing rich Philadelphia International arrangements with his commanding vocal presence.

Teddy Pendergrass sings throughout the album. Guitarists Roland Chambers and Dennis Harris, keyboardists/synth players Dexter Wansel, Victor Carstarphen, and Ron Kersey, bassists Michael “Sugar Bear” Foreman and Jimmy Williams, drummers Keith Benson, Karl Chambers, and Charles Collins, percussionist Larry Washington, and the string and horn ensemble MFSB support the sessions. Arrangements come from Bobby Martin and Jack Faith.

Gamble & Huff wrote four tracks and produced most of the album, while Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Sherman Marshall, and Ted Wortham contributed to individual songs.

“You Can’t Hide from Yourself” opens the album with tense rhythms, followed by “Somebody Told Me” and “Be Sure,” which shift to brighter contours and explore desire and vulnerability. “And If I Had” closes Side A with a sorrowful ballad later sampled by D’Angelo and Mobb Deep. Side B features uptempo fare like “I Don’t Love You Anymore” and the reflective “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me,” concluding with bass-driven tracks “Easy, Easy, Got to Take It Easy” and “The More I Get, the More I Want.”

A1. “You Can’t Hide from Yourself” (4:08)
A2. “Somebody Told Me” (5:15) — Carstarphen, Gamble, McFadden, Whitehead
A3. “Be Sure” (5:19)
A4. “And If I Had” (4:26)

B1. “I Don’t Love You Anymore” (4:01)
B2. “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me” (4:30) — Marshall, Wortham
B3. “Easy, Easy, Got to Take It Easy” (4:55) — Carstarphen, McFadden, Whitehead
B4. “The More I Get, the More I Want” (4:26) — Carstarphen, McFadden, Whitehead

Sessions occurred at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia with producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, John Whitehead, and Gene McFadden, and engineering led by the studio team.

The album’s lead single, “I Don’t Love You Anymore” (b/w “Somebody Told Me”), reached No. 5 on the R&B chart and No. 41 on the Hot 100. “The Whole Town’s Laughing at Me” (b/w “The More I Get, the More I Want”) followed and reached No. 16 R&B.

Later 1970s and 1980s artists sampled “And If I Had,” including D’Angelo and Mobb Deep.

Life Is a Song Worth Singing

Teddy Pendergrass released his second solo album, Life Is a Song Worth Singing, in June 1978 on PIR.

The album blends R&B and soul with layered Philadelphia International arrangements, highlighting Pendergrass’ control of both uptempo tracks and tender ballads. It features his first major solo hits and builds on the momentum of his debut while incorporating contributions from multiple arrangers.

Pendergrass performs all vocals. Guitarists Roland Chambers and Dennis Harris, five keyboardists including Dexter Wansel and Victor Carstarphen, two bassists, three drummers, percussionist Larry Washington, and MFSB strings and horns support the sessions. Arrangements come from Jack Faith, Dexter Wansel, John L. Usry Jr., and Thom Bell.

Gamble & Huff wrote four tracks, while Thom Bell and Linda Creed contributed the title track cover of Johnny Mathis’ 1973 single. Victor Carstarphen, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Sherman Marshall, and Ted Wortham contributed individual compositions.

The album divides into two sections: Side A emphasizes faster-paced numbers, including “Only You” and “Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose,” highlighting dynamic rhythmic variations. Side B centers on slower, intimate material, with “Close the Door,” “It Don’t Hurt Now,” and “When Somebody Loves You Back” emphasizing Pendergrass’ control of tension and phrasing, focusing on love and desire.

A1. “Life Is a Song Worth Singing” (4:38) — Bell, Creed; cover of Johnny Mathis’ 1973 single
A2. “Only You” (5:07)
A3. “Cold, Cold World” (4:28) — Carstarphen, McFadden, Whitehead
A4. “Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose” (5:25)

B1. “Close the Door” (3:37)
B2. “It Don’t Hurt Now” (4:56) — Marshall, Wortham
B3. “When Somebody Loves You Back” (4:37)

Sessions occurred at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia with producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Jack Faith, Gene McFadden, John Whitehead, Victor Carstarphen, and Sherman Marshall, supported by the studio engineering team.

Philadelphia International promoted the album with the single “Close the Door” (b/w “Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose”), which reached No. 1 on the US R&B chart and No. 25 on the Hot 100. “Only You” (b/w “It Don’t Hurt Now”) followed, peaking at No. 22 R&B and No. 29 on the Dance chart.

“Close the Door” later appeared in samples and covers, and “It Don’t Hurt Now” anticipates rhythmic patterns found in Whitney Houston’s “Saving All My Love for You.”

Teddy

Teddy Pendergrass released his third solo album, Teddy, in June 1979 on PIR.

The album continues Pendergrass’ late-70s momentum, alternating intimate bedroom ballads with more forceful disco-leaning numbers. It emphasizes his control of pacing and phrasing, contrasting quiet storm moods with uptempo, rhythmically insistent tracks.

Pendergrass performs all lead and backing vocals. Keyboardists Leon Huff and Thom Bell, four guitarists including Bobby Eli and Dennis Harris, two bassists, three drummers, organist Lenny Pakula, percussionist David Cruse, and Don Renaldo & His Horns and Strings contribute, alongside backing vocalists Barbara Ingram, Carla Benson, Evette Benton, Carl Helm, and Joseph Jefferson. Arrangements come from Jack Faith, Tony Bell, Dexter Wansel, Jerry Cohen, Larry Gold, John L. Usry Jr., and Thom Bell.

Gamble & Huff wrote four songs. LeRoy Bell and Casey James composed “I’ll Never See Heaven Again” and “Set Me Free”; Darnell Jordan and Sherman Marshall wrote “All I Need Is You”; Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead wrote “If You Know Like I Know.”

Side A features slow, intimate tracks, including “Come Go With Me,” “Turn Off the Lights,” “I’ll Never See Heaven Again,” and “All I Need Is You,” emphasizing sensual phrasing and tender instrumentation. Side B opens with punchy, rhythm-driven numbers, including “If You Know Like I Know” and “Do Me,” with “Set Me Free” and “Life Is a Circle” closing with heightened intensity and layered arrangements.

Sessions occurred at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, with producers Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff, Thom Bell, Sherman Marshall, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead, supported by the studio engineering team.

Philadelphia International promoted Teddy with “Turn Off the Lights” (b/w “If You Know Like I Know”), which reached No. 2 on the US R&B chart and No. 48 on the Hot 100. “Come Go With Me” (b/w “Do Me”) followed, peaking at No. 14 R&B.

“Turn Off the Lights” was later sampled in MC Lyte and Positive K’s “I’m Not Havin’ It,” 9th Wonder’s “Shots,” and covered in salsa by La India in 2010.

TP

Teddy Pendergrass released his fourth solo studio album, TP, in July 1980 on PIR.

The album continues Pendergrass’ late-70s soul trajectory, pairing intimate ballads with subtly driving mid-tempo numbers. It marks his only PIR album without input from label founders Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, relying instead on Ashford & Simpson, Dexter Wansel, Cecil Womack, and other producers.

Pendergrass handles all lead vocals. Keyboards include Dexter Wansel and Jerry Cohen, with four guitarists, two bassists, and multiple drummers and percussionists (exact session counts not specified). Backing vocalists include Stephanie Mills (duets), with arrangements by the producers themselves and additional studio personnel.

The album features songs from multiple songwriters. Ashford & Simpson composed two tracks, Womack and Gip Noble wrote “Love T.K.O.,” Peabo Bryson penned the duet “Feel the Fire,” Ken Hirsch and Ron Miller wrote “Can’t We Try,” and Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead wrote “Let Me Love You.”

Side A opens with smooth renditions, including the sensual Ashford & Simpson cover “Is It Still Good to Ya,” the duet “Take Me in Your Arms Tonight” with Stephanie Mills, Cecil Womack’s “I Just Called to Say,” and Hirsch/Miller’s romantic “Can’t We Try.” Side B highlights heightened emotional intensity with “Feel the Fire” (another Mills duet), the Ashford & Simpson-penned “Girl You Know,” Womack/Noble’s R&B showcase “Love T.K.O.,” and the closing track “Let Me Love You.”

A1. “Is It Still Good to Ya” (4:35) — Ashford, Simpson; a reflective, contoured interpretation of the 1974 Billy Nichols original
A2. “Take Me in Your Arms Tonight” (5:24) — Wansel, Biggs; duet with Stephanie Mills
A3. “I Just Called to Say” (4:28) — Womack; emotive solo delivery
A4. “Can’t We Try” (5:04) — Hirsch, Miller; gradually builds from tender phrasing to dramatic vamp

B1. “Feel the Fire” (5:31) — Bryson; duet with Mills, contrasting vocal textures
B2. “Girl You Know” (4:03) — Ashford, Simpson
B3. “Love T.K.O.” (5:00) — Womack, Noble; Pendergrass’ commanding baritone dominates the rhythmic pulse
B4. “Let Me Love You” (5:15) — Cohen, McFadden, Whitehead

Sessions occurred at Sigma Sound, Philadelphia, with producers Ashford & Simpson, Dexter Wansel, Cecil Womack, John R. Faith, Jerry Cohen, Gene McFadden, and John Whitehead.

Philadelphia International promoted TP with “Can’t We Try” (b/w “This Gift of Life”), which reached No. 3 on the US R&B chart and No. 52 on the Hot 100. “Love T.K.O.” (b/w “I Just Called to Say”) followed, peaking at No. 2 R&B and No. 44 Hot 100.

“Love T.K.O.” was first recorded by David Oliver and later covered by Womack & Womack (as “T.K.O.”), Regina Belle, Deborah Harry, Hall & Oates, Bette Midler, Boz Scaggs, Michael McDonald, Seal, and Tatsuro Yamashita.

Discography:

• Teddy Pendergrass (1977)
• Life Is a Song Worth Singing (1978)
• Teddy (1979)
• Live! Coast to Coast (1979)
• TP (1980)
• It’s Time for Love (1981)
• This One’s for You (1982)
• Heaven Only Knows (1983)
• Love Language (1984)
• Workin’ It Back (1985)
• Joy (1988)

Sources:

• Discogs: Teddy Pendergrass
• RYM: Teddy Pendergrass
• 45cat: Teddy Pendergrass
• MusicBrainz: Teddy Pendergrass