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Percy Sledge

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Percy Sledge
Sledge at the 2010 Alabama Music Hall of Fame Concert
Sledge at the 2010 Alabama Music Hall of Fame Concert
Background information
Birth namePercy Tyrone Sledge
Born(1940-11-25)November 25, 1940
Leighton, Alabama, U.S.
DiedApril 14, 2015(2015-04-14) (aged 74)
Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S.
GenresR&B, soul, traditional pop
InstrumentVocals
Years active1960s–2015
LabelsAtlantic, Capricorn, Monument, Point Blank, Diablo Records
Websitepsledge.com

Percy Tyrone Sledge (November 25, 1940 – April 14, 2015) was an American R&B, soul and gospel singer. He is best known for the song "When a Man Loves a Woman", a No. 1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B singles charts in 1966. It was awarded a million-selling, Gold-certified disc from the RIAA.

Having previously worked as a hospital orderly in the early 1960s, Sledge achieved his strongest success in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a series of emotional soul songs. In later years, Sledge received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Career Achievement Award. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

Biography

Early career

Sledge was born on November 25, 1940 in Leighton, Alabama.[1][2] He worked in a series of agricultural jobs in the fields in Leighton before taking a job as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield, Alabama. Through the mid-1960s, he toured the Southeast with the Esquires Combo on weekends,[3] while working at the hospital during the week. A former patient and mutual friend of Sledge and record producer Quin Ivy introduced the two. An audition followed, and Sledge was signed to a recording contract.[4]

Sledge performing on tour in 1974

Sledge's soulful voice was perfect for the series of soul ballads produced by Ivy and Marlin Greene, which rock critic Dave Marsh called "emotional classics for romantics of all ages". "When a Man Loves a Woman" was Sledge's first song recorded under the contract, and was released in March 1966.[3] According to Sledge, the inspiration for the song came when his girlfriend left him for a modelling career after he was laid off from a construction job in late 1965,[5] and, because bassist Calvin Lewis and organist Andrew Wright helped him with the song, he gave all the songwriting credits to them.[6] It reached No. 1 in the US and went on to become an international hit. "When a Man Loves a Woman" was a hit twice in the UK, reaching No. 4 in 1966 and, on reissue, peaked at No. 2 in 1987. The song was also the first gold record released by Atlantic Records.[7] The soul anthem became the cornerstone of Sledge's career, and was followed by "Warm and Tender Love" (covered by British singer Elkie Brooks in 1981), "It Tears Me Up", "Take Time to Know Her" (his second biggest US hit, reaching No. 11; the song's lyric was written by Steve Davis), "Love Me Tender", and "Cover Me".[3][6]

Sledge charted with "I'll Be Your Everything" and "Sunshine" during the 1970s, and became an international concert favorite throughout the world, especially in the Netherlands, Germany, and on the African continent; he averaged 100 concerts a year in South Africa.[8][9]

Later career

Sledge's career enjoyed a renaissance in the 1980s when "When a Man Loves a Woman" re-entered the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 2 behind the reissued Ben E. King classic "Stand by Me", after being used in a Levi's commercial.[3] In the early 1990s, Michael Bolton brought "When a Man Loves a Woman" back into the limelight again on his hit album Time, Love, & Tenderness. On the week of November 17 to November 23, 1991, Bolton's version also hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, exactly 25 and 1/2 years to the week after Percy's did in 1966.

In 1994, Saul Davis and Barry Goldberg produced Sledge's album, Blue Night, for Philippe Le Bras' Sky Ranch label and Virgin Records. It featured Bobby Womack, Steve Cropper, and Mick Taylor among others.[3] Blue Night received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album, Vocal or Instrumental, and in 1996 it won the W.C. Handy Award for best soul or blues album.

In 2004, Davis and Goldberg also produced the Shining Through the Rain album, which preceded his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Songs on the CD were written by Mikael Rickfors, Steve Earle, the Bee Gees, Carla Olson, Denny Freeman, Allan Clarke and Jackie Lomax.[10] The same year Percy recorded a live album with his band Sunset Drive entitled Percy Sledge and Sunset Drive - Live in Virginia on WRM Records produced by Warren Rodgers.

In May 2007, Percy was inducted into The Louisiana Music Hall Of Fame in his home city of Baton Rouge, LA.

In December 2010, Rhino Handmade issued a four-CD retrospective, The Atlantic Recordings, which covers all of the issued Atlantic masters, as well as many of the tracks unissued in the United States (although some were simply the mono versions of songs originally issued in stereo; Disc 1 comprises Sledge's first two LPs which were not recorded on stereo equipment). In 2011 Sledge toured with Sir Cliff Richard during his Soulicious tour, performing "I'm Your Puppet".[11]

Personal life

Sledge married twice and was survived by his second wife, Rosa Sledge, whom he married in 1980.[12] He had 12 children, two of whom became singers.[13]

Sledge died of liver cancer at his home in Baton Rouge on April 14, 2015 at the age of 74.[14][15] His interment was in Baton Rouge's Heavenly Gates Cemetery.[16]

Accolades

Selected discography

Albums

Release
date 		Title Label
1966 When a Man Loves a Woman Atlantic 8125
1966 Warm & Tender Soul Atlantic 8132
1967 The Percy Sledge Way Atlantic 8146
1968 Take Time to Know Her Atlantic 8180
1968 The Best of Percy Sledge Atlantic 8210
1970 Percy Sledge In South Africa Atlantic ATC 9257
1974 I'll Be Your Everything Capricorn CP 0147
1994 Blue Night Sky Ranch Records/Virgin
2004 Shining Through the Rain Varèse Sarabande
2013 The Gospel of Percy Sledge Elevate

Singles

Release date Title Chart positions
US Hot 100 US R&B Canada UK Singles Chart[20]
1966 "When a Man Loves a Woman" 1 1 1 4
"Warm and Tender Love" 17 5 10 34
"It Tears Me Up" 20 7 12
1967 "Baby, Help Me" 87 44
"Out of Left Field" 59 25
"Love Me Tender" (A-Side) 40 35 35
→ "What Am I Living For" (B-Side) 91
"Just Out of Reach (of My Two Empty Arms)" 66
"Cover Me" 42 39
1968 "Take Time to Know Her" 11 6 5
"Sudden Stop" 63 41
"You're All Around Me" 109
1969 "My Special Prayer" 93 44
"Any Day Now" (A-Side) 86 35
→ "The Angels Listened In" (B-Side) 126
"Kind Woman" 116
"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road"
1970 "Many Rivers to Cross"
1970 "Help Me Make It Through the Night"
1971 "Stop the World Tonight"
1972 "Rainbow Road"
"Sunday Brother"
1973 "Sunshine" 89
1974 "I'll Be Your Everything" 62 15
1987 "When a Man Loves a Woman" (Re-issue) 2

[3]

1994 "I Wish It Would Rain" (Sky Ranch / Virgin, Sweden) duet with Mikael Rickfors produced by Saul Davis & Barry Goldberg

1994 "You Got Away with Love" (Pat Robinson & Rocky Burnette) / "Why Did You Stop?" (Carla Olson) (Sky Ranch / Virgin, France) produced by Saul Davis & Barry Goldberg

Compilation albums

Release date Title Chart positions
UK Albums Chart[20]
February 1987 When a Man Loves a Woman (The Ultimate Collection) 36

[3]

Sledge is credited with having unknowingly given his name to the Australian language term "to sledge", meaning "to put someone off their game", first used in Test cricket and now a universal Australianism. (See Sledging (cricket).)

References

  1. ^ State of Alabama website. Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  2. ^ MuseumoftheGulfcoast.com- Retrieved December 12, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Strong, Martin C. (2000). The Great Rock Discography (5th ed.). Edinburgh: Mojo Books. pp. 892–893. ISBN 1-84195-017-3.
  4. ^ Aswell, Tom. "Louisiana Music Hall of Fame - Percy Sledge - 2007". Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 25, 2008..
  5. ^ "Percy Sledge, Who Sang 'When A Man Loves a Woman,' Dies". ABCnews. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Percy Sledge". www.rockhall.com. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  7. ^ Murielle, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 213. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  8. ^ "Percy Sledge, When a Man Loves a Woman singer, dead at 74". www.cbc.ca. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  9. ^ a b "Soul singer Percy Sledge dies aged 74". BBC News. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  10. ^ Campbell, Al. "Shining Through the Rain". allmusic.com. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  11. ^ Michael Hann (October 27, 2011). "Cliff Richard – review". The Guardian. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  12. ^ Paul Farrell. "Percy Sledge Dead: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know - Heavy.com". Heavy.com.
  13. ^ Frank Roberts, "Sledge's 'When a Man Loves a Woman' hit it big", HamptonRoads.com, September 18, 2008.
  14. ^ http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-percy-sledge-20150415-story.html
  15. ^ McArdle, Terence (April 14, 2015). "Percy Sledge, soul balladeer of 'When a Man Loves a Woman,' dies at 74". Washington Post. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  16. ^ "Percy Sledge (1941 - 2015) - Find A Grave Memorial". findagrave.com.
  17. ^ a b c d "Soul singer Percy Sledge dies at 74". www.irishexaminer.com. Retrieved April 14, 2015.
  18. ^ http://www.alamhof.org/inductees/timeline/1993/percy-sledge/ "Percy Sledge," Alabama Music Hall of Fame
  19. ^ "CBMA Hall of Fame". www.cammy.org. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  20. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 507. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
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