However, during a performance, Pendergrass began singing along, and Melvin, impressed by his vocals, made him the lead singer. In 1970, he was spotted by the Blue Notes' founder, Harold Melvin (1939–1997), who convinced Pendergrass to play drums in the group. Pendergrass played drums for several local Philadelphia bands, eventually becoming the drummer of The Cadillacs (not the famed Harlem-based group of the same name). The recording, however, was not a commercial success. He dropped out in the 11th grade to enter the music business, recording his first song 'Angel with Muddy Feet'. He attended Thomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia. Pendergrass also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of his church. He dreamed of being a pastor and got his wish when, at age 10, he was ordained a minister (according to author Robert Ewell Greene). Pendergrass grew up in the impoverished section of North Philadelphia and often sang at church. Not long after, Jesse was stabbed to death on June 13, 1962, during an altercation with another man.

She fulfilled that promise, and Teddy met his father when he was 11 years old. As he grew older, his mother promised him that she would find his father so that they could meet. When Pendergrass was very young, his father left the family. Ida suffered six miscarriages before successfully giving birth to Teddy. He was the only child of Jesse and Ida Geraldine (née Epps) Pendergrass. He was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on March 26, 1950, in Kingstree, South Carolina. He died from respiratory failure in January 2010. Pendergrass continued his successful solo career until announcing his retirement in 2007. Pendergrass's career was suspended after a March 1982 car crash left him paralyzed from the waist down. After leaving the group in 1976, Pendergrass launched a successful solo career under the Philadelphia International label, releasing five consecutive platinum albums (a record at the time for an African-American R&B artist). Pendergrass spent most of his life in the Philadelphia area, and initially rose to musical fame as the lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. He was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (Ma– January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter.

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