When I First Heard Teddy Pendergrass

Trey Songz | Gabrielle Union and others remember the first time they heard Teddy Pendergrass.

Trey Songz - I don’t know if I can recall the first time, but Teddy Pendergrass from 'Turn Off the Lights' to 'Wake Up Everybody,' he was one of the original kings of R&B who paved the way for artists like me.

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Trey Songz - I don’t know if I can recall the first time, but Teddy Pendergrass from 'Turn Off the Lights' to 'Wake Up Everybody,' he was one of the original kings of R&B who paved the way for artists like me.

Gabrielle Union - I must have been about 7 or 8 and my parents would play music in the kitchen. Those memories, listening to Teddy Pendergrass, ‘Love T.K.O.,' my parents slow dancing in the kitchen. Those memories kinda stick out.

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Gabrielle Union - I must have been about 7 or 8 and my parents would play music in the kitchen. Those memories, listening to Teddy Pendergrass, ‘Love T.K.O.,' my parents slow dancing in the kitchen. Those memories kinda stick out.

Ne-Yo - I remember my mom being a huge fan, thus in turn making me a huge fan. One of the most distinct voices in R&B and I was sad to see him go. We lost a jewel.

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Ne-Yo - I remember my mom being a huge fan, thus in turn making me a huge fan. One of the most distinct voices in R&B and I was sad to see him go. We lost a jewel.

India Arie - My father is a professional basketball player and one of the teams he played for was the New Jersey Nets. At that time, we lived in close proximity to Teddy Pendergrass. I was 3 so I don’t really remember him, but I remember kids saying he lived next door. It was like three houses down or something like that, so that is my first memory of him...that he was really huge, it was the late ‘70s. He was huge and he lived by us. I don’t remember when I heard his first song, but I remember his name.

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India Arie - My father is a professional basketball player and one of the teams he played for was the New Jersey Nets. At that time, we lived in close proximity to Teddy Pendergrass. I was 3 so I don’t really remember him, but I remember kids saying he lived next door. It was like three houses down or something like that, so that is my first memory of him...that he was really huge, it was the late ‘70s. He was huge and he lived by us. I don’t remember when I heard his first song, but I remember his name.

Mya - My father used to play everything from Peaches and Herb to Shalamar to Teddy Pendergrass and I remember feeling Teddy Pendergrass’s music back then. Very smooth guy, a great loss for our community.

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Mya - My father used to play everything from Peaches and Herb to Shalamar to Teddy Pendergrass and I remember feeling Teddy Pendergrass’s music back then. Very smooth guy, a great loss for our community.

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Joe - Aww man, first time I heard Teddy…I mean, as a kid, probably 15, 16 years old. 'Turn Off the Lights,' 'Close the Door,' those kind of records…are really what made me wanna take this sort of route in R&B, be more of a crooner, sing songs that have that passion, that real soul to it.

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Joe - Aww man, first time I heard Teddy…I mean, as a kid, probably 15, 16 years old. 'Turn Off the Lights,' 'Close the Door,' those kind of records…are really what made me wanna take this sort of route in R&B, be more of a crooner, sing songs that have that passion, that real soul to it.

Tichina Arnold - My favorite Teddy Pendergrass song is [breaks into song] 'Wake up everybody no more sleeping in bed/No more backward thinking time for thinking ahead.' I always sing that song when people spend the night at my house and I’ll go on the intercom and sing it and it goes throughout the whole house. Teddy was an amazing person, an amazing artist. I forgot that he was a drummer. We definitely had a great loss.

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Tichina Arnold - My favorite Teddy Pendergrass song is [breaks into song] 'Wake up everybody no more sleeping in bed/No more backward thinking time for thinking ahead.' I always sing that song when people spend the night at my house and I’ll go on the intercom and sing it and it goes throughout the whole house. Teddy was an amazing person, an amazing artist. I forgot that he was a drummer. We definitely had a great loss.

Omarosa - The first time? That had to be when I was in the womb. That’s baby-making music. You know it’s really sad because we lost a person who was just a trailblazer. I think we must stop and reflect on the contributions that Teddy Pendergrass made to the music industry as a whole.

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Omarosa - The first time? That had to be when I was in the womb. That’s baby-making music. You know it’s really sad because we lost a person who was just a trailblazer. I think we must stop and reflect on the contributions that Teddy Pendergrass made to the music industry as a whole.

Clinton Portis - Yeah, my momma was kicking me out of the room. I think she was getting ready to have company. You know, your heart goes out. I think we’re losing a lot of great entertainers, Luther, Teddy. To have this opportunity to come out, you never know who’s gonna be around next year. So, right now we have an opportunity to enjoy it and it’s nice.

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Clinton Portis - Yeah, my momma was kicking me out of the room. I think she was getting ready to have company. You know, your heart goes out. I think we’re losing a lot of great entertainers, Luther, Teddy. To have this opportunity to come out, you never know who’s gonna be around next year. So, right now we have an opportunity to enjoy it and it’s nice.

Dr. Keith Black - I don’t remember the first time, but every time you listen to him, it’s a wonderful treat. I don’t know if I have a favorite of Teddy. I would say that there’s not much of Teddy that I don’t like.

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Dr. Keith Black - I don’t remember the first time, but every time you listen to him, it’s a wonderful treat. I don’t know if I have a favorite of Teddy. I would say that there’s not much of Teddy that I don’t like.

Miss D.C. - I’m really young so I remember the first time I heard it with my parents. They always used to play older music for me. And I remember the first time we heard a Teddy Pendergrass song I was like, 'Who is this guy and when can we go to his concert?' I was too young to actually go to one of his concerts.

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Miss D.C. - I’m really young so I remember the first time I heard it with my parents. They always used to play older music for me. And I remember the first time we heard a Teddy Pendergrass song I was like, 'Who is this guy and when can we go to his concert?' I was too young to actually go to one of his concerts.