Legendary R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass died Wednesday Jan. 13 near Philadelphia,

where he had been hospitalized for months, after a long illness. He was 59. He spent his last 28 years in a wheelchair, which resulted from a life altering car crash..
The sultry singing baritone was a sex symbol with an explosive, raw voice. Known by his adoring female fans as "Teddy Bear," Pendergrass symbolized masculinity, passion and the joys and sorrow of romance in songs such as Close the Door, Turn Off the Lights, Love T.K.O. and other hits that have since become classics.
     Born in Philadelphia in 1950, Pendergrass honed his musical gift of drum playing and eventually caught the attention of singer Harold Melvin, who was looking for replacement members for his group, the Blue Notes. He signed on to be the drummer. Later, he became the lead singer of the group, which became known as Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes.
     The band started working with the musical team Gamble and Leon Huff and had signature hits in the early 1970s with Wake Up Everybody and If You Don't Know Me by Now. But Pendergrass had creative differences with Melvin and soon left for a solo career, according to his website. It was then he would become a sex symbol for the R&B genre, working women into a frenzy with hits such as Only You and concerts dedicated for ladies only.
     Pendergrass suffered a spinal cord injury in a 1982 car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down  still able to sing but without his signature power. The image of the strong, virile lover was replaced with one that drew sympathy. Still, he continued to record for the rest of his life.
     "He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist," Gamble said. "He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans."
     It was 19 years before Pendergrass resumed performing at his own concerts. He made his return on Memorial Day weekend in 2001, with two sold-out shows in Atlantic City. He was very committed to doing charitable work for people with spinal cord injuries.
The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had "a difficult recovery."
     "To all his fans who loved his music, thank you," his son said. "He will live on through his music."