I'm in shock, I just got online and read the new :*( I loved her voice and Square Biz is one of my favourite jams.

JamFanHot said:

Lost my GF of 3 years just 2 days ago...now this..another of my heroes gone. Speechless.

So sorry for your loss

RIP Teena Marie

I don't know what to think, but I remembered Square Biz not too long ago, like maybe a week or two ago. I haven't listened to her in a very long time and didn't have her on my mind till recently and this happens.

[Edited 12/27/10 3:11am]

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Glad I was able to meet U Lady Tee and tell U that U was my favorite female singer of all time & tell U I loved U on Twitter last Sunday Dec 19 & U responded back. "Thanx for the love"...R.I.P. TEENA MARIE....I will never forget U. Your daughter will carry the past torch. She has your beauty and talent....

[Edited 12/27/10 3:27am]

A friend just told me and I just can't believe it. I'm shocked.

I don't know what to say or how to feel. I'm 19 years old,

and one of my biggest dreams or wishes was to hear her

live, performing in front of me. I remember when I was 12,

one day I bought Rick James' Street Songs LP, and when I

heard her singing it just blew me away. I get goosebumps

everytime I hear her. She was and will always be my favorite

singer and one of the most beautiful women ever to live on

this planet. Rest in peace, Lady T. Hope you're doing fine

with Rick up there.

I want to take this moment to tell those of you who are big fans to stay strong and my heart goes out to you. I know how you feel cause I'm still struggling with mj's death and it's not easy. I really wish that when MJ went, it wasn't the way it was (though it shouldn't have been at all), cause from natural causes or a health issue would have been different from murder.

[Edited 12/27/10 4:49am]

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THIS was Teena's last ever interview, recorded by BlackMediaTree:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXnMqHJT_yk

alphastreet said:

I want to take this moment to tell those of you who are big fans to stay strong and my heart goes out to you. I know how you feel cause I'm still struggling with mj's death and it's not easy. I really wish that when MJ went, it wasn't the way it was (though it shouldn't have been at all), cause from natural causes or a health issue would have been different from murder.

[Edited 12/27/10 4:49am]

Believe me, the deaths of Michael & Teena are huge losses for me as a music fan. I miss them both.

sugartuff said:

banks said:

wow 15hrs ago she was alive twittering away

MsTeenaMarie

1. @AMindwNoCeiling No I haven't found it! What was the name of the Pope John Paul 2nd/Sarah Vaughan Project? about 10 hours ago via Echofon in reply to AMindwNoCeiling
3. MORE RAIN IN CALI!!! I NEED A BOAT!!! about 11 hours ago via Echofon
5. Sarah Vaughan "May You never grow old, and may I never die"... about 15 hours ago via Echofon
7. Happy Birthday @RoseyDough about 15 hours ago via Echofon
9. Happy Birthday Baby Jeshua! You fill my Life with Love Always! Thankyou for Being Born! about 15 hours ago via Echofon
11. May Gods Light always shine on you and your family! May you have the most joyous Holliday season ever! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! about 15 hours ago via Echofon

WatchThemFall said:

Indeed, she has to be one of the all-time most popular artists on this site.

ZombieKitten said:

mods let's make this a sticky - seems she has a HUGE following amongst orgers

prodigalfan said:

I heard about this driving home from the mall. I was surfing through the stations and one station was playing her song... so naturally I stopped at this station to hear the song.

Next song played... it was Teena and Rick. I'm thinking "ut oh". I get to the mall and do my business. I get back into my car, another Teena song.

Now I am getting tears in my eyes and I am driving home as fast as I can so I can get on the computer to check things out. Before I can get home the DJ announcing that it is true.. Teena has died.

I feel like a family member has died. She has supported me through her music all through my teens and early 20s. She has sung my thoughts and feelings in her songs. How could she know how *I* felt going through that relationship that was too long and never should have gotten started??

I am beyond grief that I did not see her when I had the mind to do it last summer. I almost paid for my sister's ticket for her Bday and just go... but the concert was that Friday and it was too soon to coordinate things. My dang husband didn't like her music and would not go with me.

Why did I not go? I told myself when Rick died that I was going to see Teena!

Teena was my ultimate. I have every one of her early albums. all of them from Motown to Capital. I still have them on vinyl in my basement and started replacing them with CDs. The compilations aren't good enough. I had to buy the CD for the ones that were gems but not on any hit list. Just songs that grabbed my heart.

I read your post and it just made me feel so sad. Teena's music was such a part of my life, second only to Prince. Teena never got the recognition that her talent deserved... I am just glad that we were able to enjoy her music while she was here.

TonyVanDam said:

banks said:

I've always loved this article when she taled about Prince and Rick.

Teena later found herself wedged between the two future legends when she went on the road with Prince. “We were on the Dirty Mind tour together… [Prince and I] never had a problem. We would kick it…neither one of us drank so after the concerts we’d go and sit and have our little orange juice or whatever. He had a lot of respect for me. There were some nights that I would come on stage and I would kick his butt, you know, and [afterwards] he’d walk by me and go “Whew! I have to work hard tonight’ and there were some nights that he would come by and say ‘I whooped you! I whooped you tonight!’ so it was really awesome and he’s always been really wonderful to me.”


For James, however, it was a different story. “I don’t think Rick really liked the fact that [Prince and I] were friends but you know….The rivalry to me as I look back on it - it was really Rick. It wasn’t really Prince. It was more Rick than anything. I never really saw Prince feeding into it too much. It really actually saddened me because I think the two of them would have made some amazing music together. It would have been ridiculous

I've been telling people for years that Teena's Emerald City album was inspired by Prince's Purple Rain album.

Co-sign. I saw it right away. My favorite of her albums. Thanks to the OP for the quotations about Prince. I always wondered what Prince and Teena's relationship was...

I found out this mornig and have been devestated since... Teena is one of my favourite artists EVER and I was so happy that I was finally see her live in London in February since her visits to Europe are very few and far between, but it just wasn't to be... My prayers and concolences go out to her family.

I was at a party last night and someone told me that Teena Marie was dead and I told them to stop lying. Then another person told me, and another, and another. I still didn't believe them because I know it only takes one person to start a rumor and it will spread like wildfire. I just thought it was a sick rumor that started in our little circle but I made sure to check the org this morning as soon as I woke up and I see it's true.

This is just too unbelievable. What happened? She wasn't old and to the best of my knowledge, I've never heard of her doing any drugs. I just can't imagine how she died out of the blue. She wasn't killed by anyone was she? I mean, I'm just trying to understand how she just suddenly died with no warning.

Not only did she have some wonderful music, especially her earlier Motown albums, but this woman was a huge part of who I am as a person. Prince was someone I looked up to growing up as a role model when dealing with my gay side and absolutely not giving a damn what anyone thought of it, and Teena Marie was my role model dealing with my "black" side. This woman came out in 1979 on the heels of the disco era and when disco "died" the very next year and white artists were abandoning black music and the majority of the white general public was having absolutely nothing to do with black music whatsoever, this bad ass white woman continued throwing down hard, funky, and black. This woman could have been much more successful than she was but she didn't give a damn, she came in through the black door and stayed in it. She crossed over one time in 1984 and I really don't think she purposely tried to crossover, it just happened. You don't find too many black artists with the strength to throw the finger at crossing over but this woman was white and she absolutely didn't give a damn. She was well loved by the black audience and she loved them right back. As many people have said before..."Teena Marie ain't white, she's just light skinned"....that definately was true. She was a HUGE role model for me when I was growing up dealing with whites that didn't understand me and hated me and will always continue to be a role model for me. This is a huge loss and I still can't believe it.

Always appreciate the Icons of yesteryear, cause you'll never know when they'll be here today and gone tomorrow!

vainandy said:

I was at a party last night and someone told me that Teena Marie was dead and I told them to stop lying. Then another person told me, and another, and another. I still didn't believe them because I know it only takes one person to start a rumor and it will spread like wildfire. I just thought it was a sick rumor that started in our little circle but I made sure to check the org this morning as soon as I woke up and I see it's true.

This is just too unbelievable. What happened? She wasn't old and to the best of my knowledge, I've never heard of her doing any drugs. I just can't imagine how she died out of the blue. She wasn't killed by anyone was she? I mean, I'm just trying to understand how she just suddenly died with no warning.

Not only did she have some wonderful music, especially her earlier Motown albums, but this woman was a huge part of who I am as a person. Prince was someone I looked up to growing up as a role model when dealing with my gay side and absolutely not giving a damn what anyone thought of it, and Teena Marie was my role model dealing with my "black" side. This woman came out in 1979 on the heels of the disco era and when disco "died" the very next year and white artists were abandoning black music and the majority of the white general public was having absolutely nothing to do with black music whatsoever, this bad ass white woman continued throwing down hard, funky, and black. This woman could have been much more successful than she was but she didn't give a damn, she came in through the black door and stayed in it. She crossed over one time in 1984 and I really don't think she purposely tried to crossover, it just happened. You don't find too many black artists with the strength to throw the finger at crossing over but this woman was white and she absolutely didn't give a damn. She was well loved by the black audience and she loved them right back. As many people have said before..."Teena Marie ain't white, she's just light skinned"....that definately was true. She was a HUGE role model for me when I was growing up dealing with whites that didn't understand me and hated me and will always continue to be a role model for me. This is a huge loss and I still can't believe it.

Just learning of this now...i have no words

I feel fortunate that I got to see her in concert.It was in 1997 and she appeared on a bill with Earth Wind and Fire.She came out and gave a powerful performance! She sang her ass off.During "Fire And Desire",she walked out into the crowd while singing and the crowd just went nuts.This lady knew how to put on a show.

R.I.P Lady Tee....your music will always be special to me.

I could not believe it either, wow. Just saw her last year in NYC and as always she was great. I'm a huge fan. My favorite CD of hers is Ivory. RIP Sweet Angel.

SoulAlive said:

I feel fortunate that I got to see her in concert.It was in 1997 and she appeared on a bill with Earth Wind and Fire.She came out and gave a powerful performance! She sang her ass off.During "Fire And Desire",she walked out into the crowd while singing and the crowd just went nuts.This lady knew how to put on a show.

R.I.P Lady Tee....your music will always be special to me.

Yeah, I know how you feel. I was lucky enough to see both her and Rick James about 2 months before he died back in '04. It was a concert at Constitution Hall where Morris Day & The Time opened up for them. Yeah, I was in HEAVEN!!! But, those two THREW IT DOWN, ya know?!! God, I'm going to miss her!!!! Her discography has been in my iPod since I first got one almost 2 years ago (yeah I know...I was late). I've got a 37-song playlist that I listen to constantly, mostly slow jams too. But with a couple of funk jams for good measure. A sample, you ask?:

Where's California

Now That I Have You

Aladdin's Lamp

Yes Indeed

Shadow Boxing

How Can You Resist It?

Deja Vu (live)

Love Me Down Easy

Sunny Skies

and on and on....

Very much a sad day indeed.

[Edited 12/27/10 7:18am]

johnart said:

vainandy said:

I was at a party last night and someone told me that Teena Marie was dead and I told them to stop lying. Then another person told me, and another, and another. I still didn't believe them because I know it only takes one person to start a rumor and it will spread like wildfire. I just thought it was a sick rumor that started in our little circle but I made sure to check the org this morning as soon as I woke up and I see it's true.

This is just too unbelievable. What happened? She wasn't old and to the best of my knowledge, I've never heard of her doing any drugs. I just can't imagine how she died out of the blue. She wasn't killed by anyone was she? I mean, I'm just trying to understand how she just suddenly died with no warning.

Not only did she have some wonderful music, especially her earlier Motown albums, but this woman was a huge part of who I am as a person. Prince was someone I looked up to growing up as a role model when dealing with my gay side and absolutely not giving a damn what anyone thought of it, and Teena Marie was my role model dealing with my "black" side. This woman came out in 1979 on the heels of the disco era and when disco "died" the very next year and white artists were abandoning black music and the majority of the white general public was having absolutely nothing to do with black music whatsoever, this bad ass white woman continued throwing down hard, funky, and black. This woman could have been much more successful than she was but she didn't give a damn, she came in through the black door and stayed in it. She crossed over one time in 1984 and I really don't think she purposely tried to crossover, it just happened. You don't find too many black artists with the strength to throw the finger at crossing over but this woman was white and she absolutely didn't give a damn. She was well loved by the black audience and she loved them right back. As many people have said before..."Teena Marie ain't white, she's just light skinned"....that definately was true. She was a HUGE role model for me when I was growing up dealing with whites that didn't understand me and hated me and will always continue to be a role model for me. This is a huge loss and I still can't believe it.

vainandy, she suffered a couple of seizures last month

her daughter, Alia Rose, found her in her bedroom already gone, either late Christmas night (also her 19th birthday) or the next morning, Dec 26th

she'd had a prescription drug abuse problem.. got addicted to Vicodin trying to deal with Rick James' death, in 2004 I think, and had kicked it -- but speculation is that it may have been another seizure, but doesn't appear to be foul play

Teena'd been tweeting the night before the news broke, less than 24 hrs before... so crazy/sad/unexpected....

one obituary: http://news.yahoo.com/s/a...eena_marie

vainandy said:

I was at a party last night and someone told me that Teena Marie was dead and I told them to stop lying. Then another person told me, and another, and another. I still didn't believe them because I know it only takes one person to start a rumor and it will spread like wildfire. I just thought it was a sick rumor that started in our little circle but I made sure to check the org this morning as soon as I woke up and I see it's true.

This is just too unbelievable. What happened? She wasn't old and to the best of my knowledge, I've never heard of her doing any drugs. I just can't imagine how she died out of the blue. She wasn't killed by anyone was she? I mean, I'm just trying to understand how she just suddenly died with no warning.

Not only did she have some wonderful music, especially her earlier Motown albums, but this woman was a huge part of who I am as a person. Prince was someone I looked up to growing up as a role model when dealing with my gay side and absolutely not giving a damn what anyone thought of it, and Teena Marie was my role model dealing with my "black" side. This woman came out in 1979 on the heels of the disco era and when disco "died" the very next year and white artists were abandoning black music and the majority of the white general public was having absolutely nothing to do with black music whatsoever, this bad ass white woman continued throwing down hard, funky, and black. This woman could have been much more successful than she was but she didn't give a damn, she came in through the black door and stayed in it. She crossed over one time in 1984 and I really don't think she purposely tried to crossover, it just happened. You don't find too many black artists with the strength to throw the finger at crossing over but this woman was white and she absolutely didn't give a damn. She was well loved by the black audience and she loved them right back. As many people have said before..."Teena Marie ain't white, she's just light skinned"....that definately was true. She was a HUGE role model for me when I was growing up dealing with whites that didn't understand me and hated me and will always continue to be a role model for me. This is a huge loss and I still can't believe it.

-----------------------------

[Edited 12/27/10 8:35am]

And so as we reflect on the life and artistry of Lady T, here's a 2009 interview she gave to Essence.

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Teena Marie proved that quality music transcends all racial barriers the second she belted the ’70’s scorcher duet “Fire and Desire” with soul man Rick James. Her robust vocals belied her age and race, making her one of R&B’s beloved chanteuses. In the spirit of Miss Teena’s legendary chart-toppers “Cassanova Brown,” and “Square Biz,” her 13th effort, Congo Square, delivers more of the same soulful timbre her fans crave.

Lady T opened up to us about N’awlins roots, turning to drugs after Rick James’s death, and why Black folks have always embraced her.

ESSENCE.COM: Welcome back, Miss Teena! “Congo Square” is your 13th album. What’s the significance of its title?

TEENA MARIE: Congo Square is the section of French quarters where the slaves who were mostly from the West Indies were allowed to go dance and sing on Sunday, and I thought, what a miraculous sound that must have been to share in such amazing joy, pain and grace. I found out just as I was wrapping this album that my father’s people are from New Orleans and it gave me goose bumps. I tried to make the album reflective of the richness and diversity of New Orleans culture.

ESSENCE.COM: Your single “Pressure” is an ode to that mighty good man who deserves to have his woman cater to him. Is this a creed you live by?

TEENA MARIE: I have a different mentality when it comes to catering to a man, I just won’t allow it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll do for you but I’m not taking care of no man and catering to him for life; he better be bringing something to the table. I learned that from my mother and my grandmother. Ultimately we all need somebody, and although I don’t have anyone now; I have a great memory and my songs reflect that. Just because I’m not having good sex in my life now, believe me I’ve had enough. (Laughs.)

ESSENCE.COM: We hear that. You have so many timeless classics yet you've never won a Grammy.

TEENA MARIE: Well, Marvin Gaye didn't win a Grammy until his very last album for "Sexual Healing," just before his death. But when you consider all his work before like, "What's Going On", "I Want You," that song was great but not anywhere near what he had done prior to that. I really don't judge my terms of success by awards but where I sit with God, my friends and my family. That's way more important.

ESSENCE.COM: You've enjoyed many blessings, especially with cult classics like "Fire and Desire," your duet with the late great Rick James. How has his death affected you?

TEENA MARIE: After his death I became addicted to Vicodin, which I had been taking for my physical pain because I'd had a lot of accidents. Once I realized that those pills not only took away my physical agony by masking my emotional pain I really became addicted. When I was on the medication I never cried about him, but then I went cold turkey and I cried so much and have been for the last three years. He was my musical soul mate. We were like an extension of each other. I miss all our talks. We were like family; only family can talk about family, not anyone else.

ESSENCE.COM: Many people were shocked to discover that you were a White woman after that song topped the charts. Were you ever criticized?

TEENA MARIE: Black people would always say, "I didn't know you were White." But people like good music. Back in the forties and fifties they made the race records where a group like The Temptations wouldn't appear on the cover of the album. Mr. Gordy used the same concept with me for my first album. He 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? Omigod? 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.

Wow...just...wow.

RIP

her look/expression at 0:50 - 0:51..

I could write a book on how she makes me feel..

I love her so much