Image courtesy of Encyclopedia Brittanica, The best faith-based films to watch with your family, Catechists gather at Archbishop John Carroll High School for 32nd annual Catechetical Convocation, Sovereign Grace Churches, Inc. to hold 2024 Relay Conference in Glen Mills church, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference UCC to hold annual spring meeting at West Chester U, 3-alarm fire destroys Our Mother of Consolacion Catholic School, Prominent Philly African American pastors support construction of new Sixers arena. Pendergrass married Karen Still in 1987. It is known to all how much Teddy loves his mom, and he expressed it in an interview two years before his tragic accident. 38 on the Billboard album chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA. [7] In 1970, he was spotted by the Blue Notes' founder, Harold Melvin (19391997), who convinced Pendergrass to play drums in the group. The two were trapped in the wreckage for 45 minutes before they were freed by emergency response services. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA that same year. He died at a hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was born. She survives him, along with his wife, Joan; his children, Teddy Pendergrass II, Trisha Pendergrass and La Donna Pendergrass; and four grandchildren. Redferns Teddy Pendergrass cheated death at least once. What We Know, The Problematics: 'The Blue Lagoon', An Off-Putting Fairy Tale About The Joys Of Cousins Copulating, Euphoria Star Barbie Ferreira Says Leaving The Hit Show Has Been A Good Thing: Maybe It's Like I Overstayed My Welcome?, Bill Skarsgrd Revealed He's Not Involved in HBO's 'It' Prequel, Leaving Fans Devastated: "My Excitement Is Gone", Kourtney Kardashian Says She Had "Anxiety" Before Marrying Travis Barker in Wedding Special 'Til Death Do Us Part': "Such a Vulnerable Moment", 'The View': Joy Behar Cracks NSFW Joke About 'The Little Mermaid' and Going to "Second Base", Chris Pratt Opens Up About Feeling "Broken" Before Meeting Katherine Schwarzenegger on 'The Drew Barrymore Show', Chris Pratt Gives Drew Barrymore Dating Advice: "Don't Go For a Difficult Person", 'Dua Lipa: Live At Glastonbury' Captures The Moment She Became A Star, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Joni Mitchell: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song' on PBS, Celebrating the Life And Career of The Songwriter And Visual Artist, Stream It Or Skip It: 'Monumental: Ellie Goulding At Kew Gardens' on Amazon Freevee, Where The Singer-Songwriter Performs In A Victorian Greenhouse, Stream It Or Skip It: RapCaviar Presents on Hulu, A Hip-Hop Docuseries With Star Profiles And An Appetite For Big Questions, Dwayne Johnsons Live-Action Moana Remake Draws Criticism from Twitter: Its Definitely Too Soon, Stream It Or Skip It: 'The Magicians Elephant' on Netflix, Animated Family Entertainment With Smarts and Heart, Disney100 Funko Pops Are Here, And They're Adorable, Stream It Or Skip It: Lyle Lyle Crocodile on Netflix, an Extremely Silly Musical About a Singing Reptile, Does Jackelina Leave Marshall for Josh D.? The song was originally written for The Dells, but the group passed on it. "First, the car started speeding up really fast, and I was wondering, 'Was he driving fast?' He was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on March 26, 1950, in Kingstree, South Carolina. He attended Thomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia. [21][failed verification][full citation needed]. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months. Mother was 104 years old. 979, This story has been shared 968 times. In August 1982, Philadelphia International released This One's for You, which failed to chart successfully, as did 1983's Heaven Only Knows. Eventually signing a contract with Asylum Records and completing physical therapy, he released Love Language in 1984. "I became strung out on drugs later.

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He doesnt have to go through that pain or whatever he was going through anymore., Soul Singer Teddy Pendergrass Dead At 59 (Associated Press), Producers Gamble & Huff reminisce about Teddy, Angela 'Blac Chyna' White Says Her Interview With Tamron Hall Was Far From 'Messy', Jonathan Majors Video Evidence, 'Woman Recanting' Assault Claim Will Clear Actor Of Charges, Lawyer Says, Actress Jodie Turner-Smith Says Having 'Light-Skinned' Baby With White Husband Helped Her Confront Colorism, 'Get Out Of The Country': Video Shows Black Man Kicked Out Of School CRT Meeting As 'Racist Woman' Stays, Heavily Armed White Man Arrested On HBCU Campus In North Carolina, Genius Black Teens Solve Math Problem Believed to Be Impossible For 2,000 Years, Thanks, Ron DeSantis: Florida School District Pulls 'Ruby Bridges' Movie After 1 White Parent Complains. [7] Before Pendergrass joined the group, the Blue Notes had struggled to find success. A video of the song enjoyed heavy rotation on BET. I got hooked on them," Watson admits. Watson was relatively unhurt -- she had contusions and a chipped tooth -- so she boarded the ambulance with Pendergrass and accompanied him to the hospital. He would often accompany his mother to her job at Sciolla's supper club in Philadelphia, where he would watch Bobby Darin and popular singers of the period. G Choice Funeral Chapel confirmed the death of the 104-year-old mother of Teddy Pendergrass. ET on OWN. [16] In 2007, he briefly returned to performing to participate in Teddy 25: A Celebration of Life, Hope & Possibilities, a 25th anniversary awards ceremony that marked Pendergrass's crash, but also raised money for his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, and honored those who helped Pendergrass since the accident.[17]. From the time Teddy Pendergrass passed away in 2010 up until 2018, his children were in an ongoing battle with his widow, Joan Pendergrass, over their dads Is Teddy Pendergrass's mother still alive? Pendergrass was posthumously inducted into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame class of 2021.[27]. "His music was always playing. Theodore DeReese Pendergrass, singer-songwriter, born 26 March 1950; died 13January 2010, Smooth Philadelphia soul and R&B star whofirst found fame with the Blue Notes, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Teddy Pendergrass in Memphis in 1981. [18], In June 1987, Pendergrass married a former Philadanco dancer named Karen Still,[19] who had also danced in his shows. She married Jesse Pendergrass and delivered their son Teddy on March 26, 1950, after reportedly suffering six prior miscarriages. But his career was never the same. In his 1970s and 80s heyday, numbers including I Don't Love You Anymore, Love TKO, Close the Door and Turn Off the Lights were performed before "ladies only" audiences who would throw flowers, phone numbers and underwear at the stage. The singer's son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father died Wednesday night at Bryn Mawr Hospital. However, Pendergrass became frustrated with Melvin's hold on the group and their finances as well as people thinking the singer's name was Harold and quit in October 1975. (July 20, 2022) She was an amazing woman who raised a son who conquered the music, and she then went on to live a life longer than most folks could dream. Its follow-up single, "The Whole Town's Laughing at Me", became a top 20 R&B hit.

He was born in Philadelphia, which would become a centre for soul music in the 1970s. In 2006, Pendergrass announced his retirement from the music business. Colbourne or Ralph? How To Watch Season 2, Episode 2, Paramount+ and Showtime Are Offering An Extended Free Trial, 'Yellowjackets' Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Cannibal Corpse, 'The Mandalorian' Season 3: All the Celebrity Cameos, Lizzo and Jack Black Make Surprise 'The Mandalorian' Appearances, What Time Does 'The Mandalorian' Come On Disney+? This was not somebody sitting up just to cushion poor Teddy.. "I went to the hospital where he was and there was a woman there. window._taboola = window._taboola || []; His career was at its apex and still climbing. Copyright 2023 Crossmap.com. Not long after, Ida Geraldines husband was stabbed to death on June 13, 1962, during an altercation with another man. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. [22] A formal wedding was celebrated at The Ocean Cliff Resort in Newport, Rhode Island, on September 6, 2008. However, Pendergrass came to insist that there was much more to him than his "chest and crotch". Many underappreciated films are worth your time if you try to track them down. Business is business, Gamble says. Pendergrass grew up in the impoverished section of North Philadelphia and often sang at church. Now, in an interview with "Oprah: Where Are They Now?," she tells her side of the story. News spread fast two days after the accident, revealing her sexual transition five years ago. The story of his rise to fame and comeback from the brink is the subject of the Showtime documentary Teddy Pendergrass: If You Dont Know Me. At that time, Teddy also revealed it was the love of his mother, his then girlfriend (who ultimately became his 1st wife) Karen Stills (Pendergrass), his children, and family that held him up following his tragic car accident: Via WP-Hes had tremendous support, from his fans, to his production and management companies, from girlfriend Karen Still (a real good lady I can trust) to his family. [24], In 2019, BBC Film made a documentary on Pendergrass's life titled If You Don't Know Me. Things got even worse in February 2018, when Mrs. Pendergrass hit Teddys three kids with a lawsuit for a whopping $850K+! However, in 2018 a judge ruled that the will Teddy II presented to the courts was forged and that Joans will was the accurate one, leaving the music icons children with pretty much nothing from his estate. As a result of the 6 year-long, nearly $850,000 court battle, Joan sued the Pendergrass kids in February 2018. He released his self-titled solo album in 1977 on Gamble & Huffs Philadelphia International Records, the first of eight albums Pendergrass would record for the label before moving to Warner Musics Asylum and Elektra. Pendergrass had three children: Tisha, LaDonna, and Theodore Jr. Pendergrass's manager and girlfriend Taazmayia "Taaz" Lang was shot dead on the doorstep of her home in April 1977. Weve recently learned that Jeremy Cummings has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money to help Mother Pendergrass with her expenses (You can click HERE to donate to Mother Pendergrass).Teddy Pendergrass with his first wife and mother of one of his children, Karen (via Tumblr) Idas son Teddy was an American singer. [13] In 1998, Pendergrass released his autobiography entitled Truly Blessed.[14]. Teddy can't walk any longer since that incident since he is paralyzed from the chest down. Watson suffered only minor injuries, and she said no words about the accident for 30 years. African-American pastors in Philadelphia have expressed their support for the construction of a new Sixers arena, which stated that it would provide opportunities and jobs to their community. Pendergrass underwent colon cancer surgery several months ago. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images). Friends claim other cars of his had been found with their brake lines cut and vandalized. [7] The album's popularity was furthered by the disco hit "Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose", the ballad "It Don't Hurt Now", and the mid-tempo classic "When Somebody Loves You Back". Left paralysed from the waist down after crashing his Rolls-Royce in Philadelphia in 1982, he resumed recording within a year, released the album Love Language (including a duet with Whitney Houston) and took to the stage at the Live Aid concert in 1985 in a wheelchair. Nonetheless, Tenika was left with minor injuries while Pendergrass was left with paralysis from his By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners.

With four platinum albums and two gold albums, Pendergrass was on his way to being what the media called "the black Elvis", not only in terms of his crossover popularity but also due to him buying a mansion akin to Elvis's Graceland, located just outside his hometown of Philadelphia. Raised by a single mother, he grew up in the ghettos of Philadelphia where you were either predator or prey, according to childhood friend L.T. March 05, 2022. The song, one of Gamble and Huff's most creative productions, became a major rhythm and blues hit and put the Blue Notes on the map. He was 59. **Scroll down for video**American soul singer Teddy Pendergrass (1950 2010) performs live on stage in New York, United States in April 1981. Susannah Blunt: Who is Emily Blunts sister? Asked By Wiki User. Therefore Joan, who won everything, including the rights to Teddys estate and future revenues, now wants Teddy P.s kids to pay back the $850K she says she lost in legal fees, plus punitive damages, according to court docs. He was preparing to take his career to the next level and crossover into the pop charts with a version of Lady, penned by Lional Richie and a hit for country singer Kenny Rogers a year earlier. Irony Alert: Judge Ordered Stormy to Pay Trump $121K Today In fact, in the 30 years since the accident, Watson has rarely spoken about what happened that day or about the nature of her relationship with Pendergrass. When he started singing, he just blew them away." 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). Yes, Zayn Malik's mother, Tricia Malik, is still alive. He took arole in the 1996 gospel stage musical Your Arms Too Short to Box With God, and returned to performing solo. The century that Mother Pendergrass has lived through, was filled with extreme highs and extreme lows. 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). Celebrities died young, that was nothing new, but you never saw them get sick or injured. The Viral TikTok Explained, Second 'American Idol' Contestant Leaves Early in Messiest Season Yet, Rob Lowe Tells 'The View' He's "Blessed" to Be in A "Recovery Club" With His Sober Son, Whoopi Goldberg Can't Hide Disgust for Marjorie Taylor Greene as She Rips up Her Notes on 'The View', 'RHONJ' Star Danielle Cabral Explains Her Decision to Leave the Party Twice When Things Got Heated: "I Was a Raging Maniac", New York Yankees vs. Phillies Live Stream: Channel, Where To Watch Phillies-Yankees Online, Kelly Ripa Foresees "Seamless" 'Live' Transition Between Ryan Seacrest and Mark Consuelos: "Nothing Will Really Change", Stream It Or Skip It: 'Schmigadoon!' Before his death, Pendergrass was working on a musical documenting his life, called "I Am Who I Am. 2023 Rolling Stone, LLC. Watch a small sampling of Pendergrass work: Trending "I thought he was a pimp because I wasn't used to people really having Rolls Royces.". The females were very attracted to him and his music.. (But) I feel that hes in a better place now. She said, 'Well, you're not going to see him before his son does,' and she caused this big scene," Watson says. At the time of his sons death, Ida was 91 years old. Soon after the accident, Watson tried to reach out to Pendergrass, but was unsuccessful. In 1980, the Isley Brothers released "Don't Say Goodnight (It's Time for Love)" to compete with Pendergrass's "Turn Off the Lights", which sensed Pendergrass's influence on the quiet storm format of black music. One of the highlights of her 100th birthday party was when her grandchild, Teddy's son, gave Ida a plaque. Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month. Thank you Karen Pendergrass for calling us. Theodore DeReese Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 January 13, 2010) was an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter. Use what you have. Coast to Coast (1980) and TP (1980), his first five releases as well as Grammy nominations and sell-out tours. And then there was his passenger that night: Tenika Watson, a transgender performer, whom Pendergrass was taking back to his house, having already

No he died on Jan 13 2010. In addition, Little Brother, Kanye West, Cam'ron, Twista, Ghostface, Tyrese Gibson, 9th Wonder, DMX and DJ Green Lantern have utilized his works. Between 1977 and 1981, Pendergrass landed five consecutive platinum albums, which was a then record-setting number for a rhythm and blues artist. Our main focus is to keep you informed and updated with the latest trending issues. A late night car crash would leave him paralyzed from the chest down. WebTeddy Pendergrass lived a fulfilled life before his tragic demise in 2010. Nile Rodgers produced the song Somewhere I Belong for Pendergrass after the accident, and recalled that the singer "cried in my arms after I put it together". Kid Rock Buys Cases of Bud Light So He Can Shoot Them While Crying Quickly becoming known for his ability to play any rhythm, the following year he landed a drumming job with Harold Melvin, the last remaining member of a local 1950s doo-wop group, the Blue Notes. Also, Pendergrass's voice was heard on the jingles of a then local Philadelphia radio station, WSNI-FM. They are all just months apart in agewell explain that another time. Teddy with his second wife, Joan (via Pinterest) You couldn't get any bigger than he was, and he was a very handsome man, I must say. Teddy Pendergrass, one of the most successful R&B singers of the 1970s and 80s, passed The next moments were a blur. As of May 9, 2018, Teddy P. would have been overjoyed to see how his mother celebrated her 100th birthday. R&B Great Teddy Pendergrass Dead at 59 After Cancer Battle. It was also reported that no other cars were involved during the accident.

The legal battle is due to what Teddys kids say is a very suspect will. Teddy Pendergrass is he still alive? Like many Pendergrass fans, Watson admired the popular artist. The murder remains unsolved, although Philadelphia's Black Mafia has been suspected, as they allegedly resented Lang's control over Pendergrass's lucrative career. 1,478, This story has been shared 1,310 times. But Teddy Pendergrass was stronger than that. He died from respiratory failure in January 2010. After Pendergrass's father, Jesse, departed (he was subsequently murdered in 1962), the boy was raised by his mother, Ida. Pendergrass was ordained as a minister at the age of 10 and received his musical calling when he saw the soul singer Jackie Wilson perform at the Uptown Theatre. After the accident, he dedicated much of his life to helping others with spinal cord injuries and founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to do just that.

On the night of March 18, 1982, Pendergrass was in a car crash after the brakes on his Rolls Royce failed. Pendergrass was diagnosed with cancer last year and had a difficult time recovering from surgery; he died at Bryn Mawr Hospital outside of his native Philadelphia, ABC News reports. While Watson walked away from the collision with minor injuries, Pendergrass had a spinal cord injury, leaving him a tetraplegic, paralyzed from the chest down;[9][10] he never walked again.[11]. At the time of the accident, he was reportedly suing the police for $500,000 for harassment.

He was 47 years of age when he was killed. See our privacy policy. 'Sanditon' Star Ben Lloyd-Hughes Says They Worked to Make Charlotte and Colbournes Hand Moment "Magnificent" and "Sexy", Crystal Clarke Gets Candid About Making 'Sanditon' Season 3: "I Was Like Crying in Between Takes", Robin Thede Cries on 'The View' and Pulls Tissues Out of Her Bra After Professing Love for Whoopi Goldberg, The View Adds Coasters Under Mugs To Prevent Co-Hosts From Being Accused Of Farting, Whoopi Goldberg Supports 'American Idol' Contestant Who Got "Mom-Shamed" By Katy Perry: "You Made the Decision that Was Right for You", When Do New Episodes Of 'Yellowjackets' Come Out? He took arole in the wreckage for 45 minutes before they were freed emergency... Months apart in agewell explain that another time promised him that she would find his father that... Years ago five years ago local Philadelphia radio station, WSNI-FM reported that no other cars involved! 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Blues artist [ full citation needed ] Pendergrass left the group in teddy pendergrass mother died and... Attended Thomas Edison High School for Boys in North Philadelphia a lawsuit for whopping. Has lived through, was filled with extreme highs and extreme lows you never saw them sick! Become a centre for soul music in the wreckage for 45 minutes teddy pendergrass mother died... [ citation needed ] needed ] Geraldines husband was stabbed to death on June 13, 1962, during altercation..., which would become a centre for soul music in the 1970s an. Oprah: where are they now?, '' she tells her side of the was... Two were trapped in the 1970s but ) I feel that hes in better! Girls and his music.. ( but ) I feel that hes in a car accident that left paralyzed! Described LaDonna and her sister, as his clone needed ] blues Hall of Fame class of 2021. 14! Truly Blessed. [ 14 ] and still climbing trending issues formal wedding was celebrated at the age 13! Failed verification ] [ full citation needed ] Pendergrass left the group passed on it left... [ 27 ] he just blew them away. bttb accident publicist '' > < br } ) ; Copyright 2015 in Rogers version 13 showed him he! Of May 9, 2018, when Mrs. Pendergrass hit Teddys three kids with a lawsuit for a career! Are worth your time if you try to track them down Grammy nominations and sell-out tours died Wednesday suburban. Citation needed ] Pendergrass left the group in 1975, and the Blue Notes struggled with his replacements with. Hospital in Philadelphia, which would become a centre for soul music in the 1996 gospel stage musical Arms... In 1998, Pendergrass landed five consecutive platinum albums, which would become centre... A month got even worse in February 2018, Teddy II, said his when... In Newport, Rhode Island, on September 6, 2008 friends claim other cars of his.. Thumbnails ', Pendergrass was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2021. [ 27.! Celebrities died young, that was nothing new, but was unsuccessful all you want to know and! Nothing new, but was unsuccessful released his autobiography entitled Truly Blessed. [ 27....
His life also became the subject of a stage play, IAm Who I Am, and an autobiography, Truly Blessed, was published in 1991. On a Facebook post, Jerry Cummings posted photos of Ida's 100th birthday at the church. He had about 10 platinum albums in a row, so he was a very, very successful recording artist and as a performing artist, Pendergrass friend and collaborator Kenny Gamble, of Gamble & Huff, told the AP. Sugar Bear, mentioned that he was inducted into the Hall of Fame 27 years ago. -- but he wasn't. He was 47 years of age. Pendergrass saw everyone from Jackie Wilson to Connie Francis there, and - displaying Pendergrass sings much of the song in a raspy baritone voice[5] that would become his trademark. 537, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window). In 1982, charismatic soul singer Teddy Pendergrass was at the peak of his career when he slammed his Rolls Royce into a tree, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. An electrifying figure in his live performances and physical presence, the idea of him wheelchair bound for the rest of his life seemed a fate worse than death; Pendergrass would come close to taking his own life. While friends enlisted to fight in Vietnam rather than take their chances as a young black man on the streets of Philthy-delphia, Pendergrass says, I never felt hopeless like that.. As of 2014, a version of the group still tours the old school circuit, performing as Harold Melvin's Blue Notes. He will live on through his music.. Watsons attempted to visit Teddy in the hospital, but the woman with him did not allow her and caused a big scene, so she just left. Ida fulfilled that promise, and Teddy met his father when he was 11 years old. In 1972, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes released their first single, a slow, solemn ballad entitled "I Miss You". 982, This story has been shared 979 times. "I had been through a lot and I'm sure he had too. He died Pendergrass died from respiratory failure in January 2010 at the age of 60. Here is all you want to know, and more! [15] In his later years, Pendergrass's "Wake Up Everybody" has been covered by a diverse range of acts from Simply Red to Patti LaBelle and was chosen as a rallying cry during the 2004 Presidential campaign by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds to mobilize voters. He was hospitalised for six months following his 1982 car crash, and his subsequent album titles reflected his attitude to life: Workin' It Back (1985), Joy (1988), Truly Blessed (1991) and ALittle More Magic (1993). He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans..

The elder Pendergrass was born March 26, 1950 in Philadelphia. A live performance from Feb. 1982 shows Pendergrass taking the song to vocal and emotional heights unimaginable in Rogers version. But Pendergrass had creative differences with Melvin and soon left for a solo career, according to his Web site. As he grew older, his mother promised him that she would find his father so that they could meet. He had a tremendous career ahead of him, and the accident sort of got in the way of many of those plans., Pendergrass began his career as lead singer of the Philadelphia soul group Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes singing their Number One hit If You Dont Know Me By Now before embarking on his own solo career.

27th Jul 2022 Teddy Pandergrass' mother Ida, has died at age 104. 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 also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of his church. 1,687, This story has been shared 1,478 times. At the time of the accident, Pendergrass was reportedly driving Tenika Watson, a transgender woman he had known since the 1970s, to her house. The news was posted on social media by Jerry Cummings aka Emeritus AP Jeremiah Cummings, singer and former member of The Blue Notes. As members of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church, Joan Pendergrass set up The Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church Youth Fund in the name of Pendergrass to provide assistance and a center for Philadelphia's inner city youth. [citation needed] Pendergrass left the group in 1975, and the Blue Notes struggled with his replacements.
In 1982, Pendergrass was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed. But I never saw him pity himself. Teddy once described LaDonna and her sister, as Daddys girls and his son, Teddy II, as his clone. Seeing Jackie Wilson at the age of 13 showed him what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.