January 20. 2010
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Page 11
E N T fE IA IN M tN I
D ixion’s Rib Pit
R&B Singer Remembered
between 19th & 20th on Alberta Street
503-753-0868
Seductive voice
had magnetism
Hours
11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Tueday thru Saturday
Sunday after 3:00 p.m.
(A P) — R&B singer Teddy
Pendergrass, who was one of the
most electric and successful figures
in music until a car crash 28 years
ago left him in a wheelchair, is being
remembered after his death last week
of colon cancer. He was 59.
Before the crash, Pendergrass
established a new era of R&B with
an explosive, raw voice that sym­
bolized masculinity, passion and the
joys and sorrow of romance in songs
such as "Close the Door," "It Don't
HurtNow," "Love T.K.O." and other
hits that have since become clas­
sics.
He was an international super- Teddy Pendergrass, the velvet-voiced soul legend whose romantic
star and sex symbol. His career was ballads lit up the 1970s and 1980s.
at its apex — and still climbing.
nal cord injury in a 1982 c ir accident
Pendergrass left a remarkable
Friend and longtime collaborator that left him paralyzed from the waist
imprint on the music world as he
Kenny Gamble, of the renowned down — still able to sing but with­
ushered in a new era in R&B with his
production duo Gamble & Huff, out his signature power. The image
fiery, sensual and forceful brand of
teamed with Pendergrass on his big­ of the strong, virile lover was re­
soul and his ladies' man image, bur­
gest hits and recalled how the singer placed with one that drew sympa­
nished by his strikingly handsome
was even working on a movie.
thy.
looks.
"He had about 10 platinum al­
But instead of becoming bitter or
Gamble said Pendergrass was one
bums in a row, so he was a very, very depressed, Pendergrass created a
of a kind as an artist and boasted a
successful recording artist and as a new identity — that as a role model,
powerful voice and "a great magne­
performing artist," Gamble said. "He Gamble said.
tism."
had a tremendous career ahead of
"He never showed me that he
"He was a great baritone singer,
him, and the accident sort of got in was angry at all about his accident,"
and he had a real smooth sound, but
the way of many of those plans."
Gamble said in a telephone inter­ he had a real rough sound, too,
Pendergrass, who was bom in view with The Associated Press.
when he wanted to exert power in
Philadelphia in 1950, suffered a spi- "In fact, he was very courageous." his voice," Gamble said.
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From R&B Hits to Housewives Fame
Kandi Burruss
soaks it up
(AP) Kandi Burruss is soaking
up every moment of her second
claim to fame, knowing how fast the
limelight can fade away.
"I'm so appreciative of every­
thing I have now," said Burruss, a
member of the defunct 1990s R&B
group Xscape, which had hits like
"Understanding" and "Who Can I
Run To."
"When you have success right
off the rip, you take it for granted
sometimes. I did. I told myself I will
never take it for granted again."
After Xscape broke up, Burruss
co-wrote TLC's hit "No Scrubs."
Shehasalso written music for Mariah
Carey, Destiny's Child and Alicia
Keys. But her singing career took a
back seat to songwriting, and her
celebrity diminished.
Thanks to her success on "The
Real Housewives of Atlanta" on
how the reality show has rejuve­
nated her music and acting career,
and how the recent slaying of her ex-
fiance, Ashley "A.J." Jewell, still
brings her to tears.
The Associated Press: How has
the "Housewives" show helped
jum p start your career?
Burruss: It gave me a platform to
show what I can do. A lot of people
knew me from Xscape, but didn't
know what I've been doing behind
the scenes. It let people know I
wanted to act. When people saw
"(The Vagina) Monologues" (she
performed it on the show), they were
like, "Dang, she can act too." So,
that was also a good look.
AP: Now, you're looking to re­
lease an album this year. What will
be
the album title?
Kandi Burruss
Burruss: At first, I was going to
Bravo, she's back in the spotlight, call it "B.L.O.G." because I was in­
and is trying to remain there.
spired by some of the things I read
During a recent interview at her on the blogs. Now I'm feeling like I
clothing boutique Tags in Atlanta, should called it "Fly Above." I'm
the 33-year-old Burruss talked about overcoming stress and drama.
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