Teena Marie, known as ‘Ivory Queen of Soul,’ dies

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teena Marie’s last album, “Congo Square,” was titled after a historical meeting place for slaves in New Orleans, featured a tribute to Martin Luther King’s widow and also song “Black Cool,” written for President Barack Obama.

No matter that Marie, 54, was white. The R&B legend revered and fully immersed herself in black culture — and in turn was respected and adored by black audiences, not only for her immense soulful talents, but for her inner soul as well.

Bing: Teena Marie videos and photos

“Overall my race hasn’t been a problem. I’m a black artist with white skin. At the end of the day you have to sing what’s in your own soul,” she told Essence.com in an interview last year while promoting “Congo Square.” That album would turn out to be her last.

The self-proclaimed “Ivory Queen of Soul,” whose many classic hits included “Lovergirl,” Square Biz” and the scorching duet “Fire and Desire” with mentor Rick James, was found dead in her Pasadena home on Sunday at the age of 54. Authorities said her death appeared to be of natural causes.

In an interview with The Associated Press last year, Teena Marie said she had successfully battled an addiction to prescription drugs; she had been performing over the last year.

Also: In memorium: Saying good-bye to stars we lost in 2010

“The enduring influence of Teena’s inspirational, trailblazing career, could only have been made possible through her brilliant song-writing, showmanship and high energy passion which laid the ground work for the future generations of R&B, hip-hop, and soul,” said Concord Music Group chief label officer, Gene Rumsey. Concord’s Stax Records released her last album.

“We feel extremely fortunate to have worked with a visionary who changed music in indelible ways. Our deepest sympathies go out to her family, friends and of course, millions of fans around the world.”

Marie certainly wasn’t the first white act to sing soul music, but she was arguably among the most gifted and respected, and was thoroughly embraced by black audiences, and beyond.

Even before she started her musical career, she had a strong bond with the black community, which she credited to her godmother. She gravitated to soul music and in her youth decided to make it her career.

Marie made her debut on the legendary Motown label back in 1979, becoming one of the very few white acts to break the race barrier of the groundbreaking black-owned record label that had been a haven for black artists like Stevie Wonder, the Jackson 5, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye.

The cover of her debut album, “Wild and Peaceful,” did not feature her image, with Motown apparently fearing black audiences might not buy it if they found out the songstress with the dynamic, gospel-inflected voice was white.

“(Motown founder Berry) Gordy said that is was so soulful that he wanted to give the music an opportunity to stand on its own merit. Instead of my face, they put a seascape, so by the time my second album came out people were like, Lady T is white?” she told Essence.com.

Marie was the protege of the masterful funk wizard James, with whom she would have long, turbulent but musically magical relationship.

Marie notched her first hit, “I’m A Sucker for Your Love,” with the help of James on that album. But the time her second album was released, her face was known — and on the cover of the record. But there was not a backlash — she would only get more popular on her way to becoming one of R&B’s most revered queens. During her tenure with Motown, the singer-songwriter and musician produced passionate love songs and funk jam songs like “Need Your Lovin’,” “Behind the Groove.”

Marie’s voice was the main draw of her music: Pitch-perfect, piercing in its clarity and wrought with emotion, whether it was drawing from the highs of romance or the mournful moments of a love lost. But her songs, most of which she had a hand in writing, were the other major component of her success.

Tunes like “Cassanova Brown” “Portuguese Love” and “Deja Vu (I’ve Been Here Before)” featured more than typical platitudes on love and life, but complex thoughts with rich lyricism. “Deja vu” was a song about reincarnation.

And “Fire and Desire,” a duet with James about a former couple musing about their past love, was considered a musical masterpiece and a staple of the romance block on radio stations across the country.

Marie left Motown in 1982 and her split became historic: She sued the label and the legal battle led to a law preventing record labels from holding an artist without releasing any of their music.

She went to Epic in the 1980s and had hits like “Lovergirl” and “Ooo La La La,” but her lasting musical legacy would be her Motown years.

Still, she continued to record music and perform. In 2004 and 2006 she put out two well-received albums on the traditional rap label Cash Money Records, “La Dona” and “Sapphire.”

James, who had a romantic relationship with Marie and also a long friendship, died in 2004. His death shook her so she said she became addicted to Vicodin, which she had been taking for pain, for about a year.

But Marie said she successfully battled that addiction. In 2008, she talked about her excitement of being honored by the R&B Foundation.

Marie was the mother of a teenage daughter who was budding singer; she would sometimes bring her daughter onstage to sing during her shows.

In 2009, she celebrated 30 years in the recording industry, and planned for many more.

“All in all, it’s been a wonderful, wonderful ride,” she told The Associated Press in 2008. “I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”

PHILADELPHIA – Legendary producer-songwriting team and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees KENNETH GAMBLE and LEON HUFF will be honored by the City of Philadelphia with the renaming of the block of South Broad Street they made famous to “people all over the world” as “Gamble & Huff Walk” in a special ceremony to be held here Wednesday, November 17 at noon EST.  

The world-renowned pioneering music icons, architects of “The Sound of Philadelphia,” one of the most enduring brands of soul music anywhere, will be honored in ceremonies in front of the infamous Philadelphia International Records building, where they created a massive catalogue of 3,000 songs together, including R&B #1 hits, pop #1 hits, 100 gold and platinum records, Grammy winners and BMI songwriters’ award nominees. The block of South Broad Street where the historic building resides is located along the Avenue of the Arts between Spruce and Pine streets, a strip that also includes the Kimmel Center, the University of the Arts and the recently launched TSOP Experience, a live performance venue and souvenir shop that celebrates the Gamble & Huff legacy by showcasing the music of Philadelphia’s rising and established stars.

Though an arson fire has kept the Philadelphia International Records offices at 309 S. Broad Street quiet since the beginning of the year, the street renaming signifies a whole new beginning for Gamble & Huff, as the duo prepares for a glorious two-year celebration of their legacy, beginning next year with the 40^th anniversary of Philadelphia International Records, and continuing into 2012 with the 50^th anniversary of their distinguished partnership. The extraordinary festivities along Broad Street will include a free outdoor concert by several recording artists in the extended Philadelphia International Records family. Guest speakers and attendees will include numerous dignitaries, recording artists, business associates and family members.

“We are truly blessed that the City of Philadelphia, which has inspired so many of our message songs throughout the decades, and which we are proud to say has been our home for so many years, feels we are worthy of such an honor,” says Gamble & Huff. “This is beyond our wildest dreams. It’s absolutely fantastic.”

Gamble & Huff are among the most prolific professional songwriting teams of all time, having written and produced over 3,000 songs within 35 years, an output that rivals Lennon-McCartney, Jagger-Richards, Leiber & Stoller and Holland-Dozier-Holland. Their message songs of peace, love, empowerment, social conscience and turmoil sold millions of records, as they fashioned the sweet, sexy, stirring, socially conscious Philly Sound at Philadelphia International Records (PIR). They are enshrined in five music Halls of Fame, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Featured prominently in television programs (“The Apprentice,” “Cold Case”), films (“The Nutty Professor”) and advertising spots (Verizon, Chevrolet, Coors Light, Old Navy, The Gap, Office Max) for more than 30 years, Gamble & Huff’s songs have entered the musical DNA of contemporary culture. In fact, one of their songs is played on the radio somewhere in the world every 13.5 minutes. With a stable core of artists led by the O’Jays, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Billy Paul, MFSB and the Three Degrees, Gamble & Huff co-founded Philadelphia International Records and created monster hits almost from the first day of its inception. Songs they have written and produced together, like “Back Stabbers,” “Love Train,” “For The Love Of Money,” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” “Cowboys to Girls,” “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” “Enjoy Yourself,” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me,” “Only the Strong Survive” and “TSOP” (better known as the “Soul Train” theme), have received songwriters’ awards from Broadcast Music International (BMI). Their songs comprise the most sampled R&B catalogue in the world, by artists such as Jay-Z, Usher, Cam’ron, Ja Rule, Jaheim, and Avant.

Gamble & Huff have recorded and collaborated with a galaxy of stars from the pop, rock, soul and jazz universes, including Michael Jackson and the Jacksons, Elton John, Lou Rawls, Teddy Pendergrass, Patti LaBelle, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Aretha Franklin, the Spinners, the Stylistics, the Delfonics, Dusty Springfield, Jerry Butler, Wilson Pickett, Labelle, Archie Bell & the Drells, the Soul Survivors, Laura Nyro, the Trammps, McFadden & Whitehead, Phyllis Hyman and Grover Washington Jr. Their songs also have been covered by a myriad of artists including Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bette Midler, Simply Red, Michael Buble, Johnny Mathis, Lesley Gore, Donny & Marie, Thelma Houston, the Brand New Heavies and most recently, Rod Stewart, who sings four Gamble & Huff classics on his latest album, Soulbook.

In 1999, four years after being inducted into the National Academy of Songwriters’ Hall of Fame, Gamble & Huff were honored by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences with the Trustees Award for their extensive body of work, both as producer and songwriter, and their contribution to the entire fabric of popular music, joining luminaries like Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, and Walt Disney. They have been inducted twice into the Dance Music Hall of Fame as well as the R&B Hall of Fame. In 2005, Gamble & Huff appeared on American Idol in a show devoted entirely to their music. In 2008, Gamble & Huff were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as the first recipients of the newly created AhmetErtegün Award. And earlier this year, Gamble & Huff were presented honorary doctor of music degrees – their first together in a distinguished partnership that is nearing its 50th anniversary – at Berklee College of Music’s 2010 Commencement.

WHAT:     STREET NAMING CEREMONY FOR KENNETH GAMBLE AND LEON HUFF, LEGENDARY  “SOUND OF PHILADELPHIA” PRODUCERS AND SONGWRITERS. Gamble & Huff will be honored by the City of Philadelphia the re-naming of the 300 Block of S. Broad St. as GAMBLE & HUFF WALK, in ceremonies in front of the historic Philadelphia International Records building along the Avenue of the Arts..

WHERE:    Broad Street, between Spruce and Pine streets, Philadelphia, PA

WHEN:      Wednesday, November 17, 2010

                     11 a.m. – Press conference at the TSOP Experience-Souvenir Shop, 309A S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA

     NOON - Ceremony and festivities to include proclamation, live music performances, and reflections from family members and business associates

                     1 p.m. – Reception at the Doubletree Hotel, 237 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA

WHO:        Mr. Kenneth Gamble - co-founder and partner with Mr. Huff of Philadelphia International Records and the Gamble & Huff songwriting team.

                     Mr. Leon Huff - co-founder and partner of Philadelphia International Records and the seminal R&B songwriting team Gamble & Huff, architects of “The Sound of Philadelphia.”

                      Live concert performances by notable artists in the Philadelphia International Records family.

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