This morning we were surprised to see Teddy Pendergrass among the top 10 most popular search terms reported by Google. After all, Pendergrass—singer, songwriter, drummer, and soul pioneer—died Jan. 13, 2010, nearly 6 months ago.
Pendergrass began his career as a drummer with The Cadillacs, before joining Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. His career really took off in the 1970s when he left the band to become a solo artist. Pendergrass was nominated for Grammy Awards four times, and singles from his first five solo albums all made the Top 10 on the R&B chart, with many enjoying crossover success on the pop charts.
His life changed drastically in 1982, when he sustained serious injuries after crashing his Rolls-Royce into a tree. Paralyzed from the waist down, he continued recording and even appeared at 1985’s Live Aid concert, but it would be 19 years before he performed onstage again as a solo artist. In 2006, he announced his retirement from the music business and spent much of his remaining time raising money to help those with spinal cord injuries.
So why was Teddy Pendergrass trending on Google this morning?
It seems actor and musician Tyrese Gibson paid a rousing tribute to Pendergrass last night at the BET awards. Good to see people are still keeping his spirit alive, even if Pendergrass is no longer with us.
