Only one day after producing our
second “uplifting” musical news, I must sadly report the death of Percy Sledge,
of “When A Man Loves A Woman” fame, certified gold in 1966.
Mr. Sledge was born on November
25, 1941 in Leighton, AL, and passed over on April 14, 2015 in Baton Rouge, LA
of liver cancer.
During his early life, he worked
as a hospital orderly during the week, while touring with the Esquires Combo on
the weekends. His first hit came after a personal life event, the departure of
his long-time girlfriend after he was laid off. The song was a collaboration,
but Sledge gave all of the songwriting credits to his co-writers.
“When A Man Loves A Woman” was
re-issued in 1987 and was a hit for a second time, and enjoyed a resurgence in
1994, after being used in a Levi’s commercial.
Mr. Sledge’s career also included
the hits “Take Time to Know Her” and “Warm and Tender Love,” at a time when
local radio stations played a wide variety of genres of music.
Mr. Sledge was an inaugural Rhythm
and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award honoree in 1989. In 1996, he was the
recipient of the Blues Music Award for best Soul/Blues album of the year. In
2005, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In May 2007, Mr.
Sledge was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. He continued to tour
through 2011, and was an international favorite.
Although I was only a baby when I
fell in love with Mr. Sledge, he will never be forgotten.
Sing it with me…. “When a man
loves a woman….”
Percy Sledge [1940 – 2015]
© 04/15/2015
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