Timmy84 said:

Identity said:

Pictured above is Lady T on stage with her young daughter, Alia Rose. My heart aches for her.

Me too.

I remember seeing a clip on a special of Teena Marie singing with her daughter, and I thought how wonderful it was she passed that talent to her daughter. Teena will surely be missed. Her voice was so full of natural soul. Loved her singing. So sad to here she passed in her sleep.

JackieBlue said:

I just heard the news and burst into tears.

I was fortunate to see her many, many years ago. The second chance I had to see her the show as cancelled because Rick died. I always thought I would get another chance.

I'm still stunned.

yea this news rocked me to my core...but i saw her 2 times at bb kings and took my mom and aunt to see her last year on Mother's Day at the Beacon.... gonna miss this beautiful flower....

Timmy84 said:

purplethunder3121 said:

This list is indeed scary--especially if you are not that far from 50=makes you re-think your own health agenda... I so hope and pray that Aretha will recover!

To be honest I'm actually surprised Aretha has lived that long, she must have a guardian angel because all her issues (chain smoking for years, alcoholism, weight ballooning) could've killed a lesser person. I think it's partially due to her being a God-fearing woman who survived a whole ordeal. Or maybe she's just lucky but I do hope she makes a recovery from this. I'm still hopeful but as this point I'm at peace with whatever God decides for Aretha.

Lets give Aretha plenty of credit for honoring her parents, especially Rev. C.L. Franklin. It is said in the holy scriptures that a person can live long days if they honor their mother and father.

Some of my favorites:

There are countless others...R.I.P. Teena

Just read this online:

"On Christmas Day, just before her death, she tweeted, "Sarah Vaughan 'May You never grow old, and may I never die'...""

http://blog.zap2it.com/po...clear.html

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.

Oh Tim you forgot "Fifth Beatle" Billy Preston as well. Malignant hypertension. 59 years old.

psychodelicide said:

Just read this online:

"On Christmas Day, just before her death, she tweeted, "Sarah Vaughan 'May You never grow old, and may I never die'...""

http://blog.zap2it.com/po...clear.html

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:

To be honest I'm actually surprised Aretha has lived that long, she must have a guardian angel because all her issues (chain smoking for years, alcoholism, weight ballooning ) could've killed a lesser person. I think it's partially due to her being a God-fearing woman who survived a whole ordeal. Or maybe she's just lucky but I do hope she makes a recovery from this. I'm still hopeful but as this point I'm at peace with whatever God decides for Aretha.

Lets give Aretha plenty of credit for honoring her parents, especially Rev. C.L. Franklin. It is said in the holy scriptures that a person can live long days if they honor their mother and father.

I think it's because she's at the age her mother never got to and her father was in a coma when he died at 69. She also apparently took care of her siblings and all of them died at relatively young ages (Erma at 64, Carolyn at just 44, and Cecil at 49 and then her other brother Vaughn died recently).

musicjunky318 said:

Oh Tim you forgot "Fifth Beatle" Billy Preston as well. Malignant hypertension. 59 years old.

Sure did! Thanks.

I remember reading that Prince did a little bit of Give It To Me Baby when he was on tour when Rick passed, Hoping he plays a lil sumthin for Teena on Wed at MSG...

babybugz said:

psychodelicide said:

Just read this online:

"On Christmas Day, just before her death, she tweeted, "Sarah Vaughan 'May You never grow old, and may I never die'...""

http://blog.zap2it.com/po...clear.html

That was my reaction too. It was so ironic that Teena would tweet that one day before she died.

I cant believe this....MY GIRL!!!!! Its hard to even watch her perform on youtube right now...I listened to one song..and I cant listen to anymore right now....

Timmy84 said:

babybugz said:

Some will say that label has a curse now *sighs*

I know... They can't just chalk it up that all these people had PROBLEMS!!! And Twitter is being REAL ignorant tonight.

Twitter smh at least last.fm showing her love.

Timmy84 said:

Well add Teena to the list of Motown legends who died before her time:

• Shorty Long (1940-1969); aged 29, drowning
• Benny Benjamin, Funk Brother (1925-1969); aged 44, stroke
• Tammi Terrell (1945-1970); aged 24, complications of brain cancer
• Paul Williams (1939-1973); aged 34, suicide
• Al Bryant of the original Temptations (1939-1975); aged 36, cirrhosis of the liver
• Florence Ballard (1943-1976); aged 32, coronary thrombosis
• Georgeanna Tillman of the Marvelettes (1945-1980); aged 35, complications of lupus
• Sandra Tilley of Martha and the Vandellas (1945-1981); aged 36, breast cancer
• James Jamerson, Funk Brother (1936-1983); aged 47, lung cancer
• Marvin Gaye (1939-1984); aged 44, gunshot wounds
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown, Funk Brother (1932-1984); aged 52
• O'Kelly Isley of the Isley Brothers (1937-1986); aged 48, heart attack
• David Ruffin (1941-1991); aged 50, drug overdose
• Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992); aged 52, lung cancer
• Earl Van Dyke, Funk Brother (1930-1992); aged 52, prostate cancer
• Mary Wells (1943-1992); aged 49, laryngeal cancer
• Robert White, Funk Brother (1936-1994); aged 57
• Melvin Franklin (1942-1995); aged 52, brain seizure (apparently this is what also killed Teena)
• Ronnie White (1939-1995); aged 56, leukemia
• Bobby DeBarge (1956-1995); aged 39, AIDS complications
• Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops (1936-1997); aged 61, cancer
• Gwen Gordy Fuqua, songwriter (1927-1999); aged 71, cancer
• Barbara Randolph (1942-2002); aged 60, cancer
• Syreeta Wright (1946-2004); aged 57, congestive heart failure
• Rick James (1948-2004); aged 56, heart attack
• Renaldo "Obie" Benson of the Four Tops (1936-2005); aged 69, lung cancer
• Billy Henderson (1939-2007); aged 58, complications due to diabetes
• Levi Stubbs (1936-2008); aged 72, natural causes
• Michael Jackson (1958-2009); aged 50, cardiac arrest
• Harvey Fuqua (1929-2010); aged 80, heart attack
• Teena Marie (1956-2010); aged 54, apparently from a seizure

----

If I miss more let me know. Of that list, only two lived past aged 70 but 70 is still a young age to clock out IMHO.

[Edited 12/26/10 19:08pm]

[Edited 12/26/10 19:12pm]

That is it, DAMN IT! I am going to quit this filthy cigarette habit once and for all! I don't want to die pre-maturely! My best friend just ended up in the hospital several months ago with the sudden onset of diabetes and high blood pressure and here I am still fucking smoking?! What am I crazy, in denial, or both?! So far, I'm still healthy but this list tells me my days are numbered. I'm scared shitless! Oh, Tina why did you go so young?! I never got to see you... But I will take the warning! God Bless Tina in the next existence!

paisleypark4 said:

I cant believe this....MY GIRL!!!!! Its hard to even watch her perform on youtube right now...I listened to one song..and I cant listen to anymore right now....

Me neither. I'm trying to take my mind off of it.

I don't know why everybody is acting like they can't see that big ass elephant in the room but umm...

Lady Tee and Rick James...Bitch!!!

I'm Just A Sucker For Your Love

Fire and Desire

babybugz said:

Timmy84 said:

I know... They can't just chalk it up that all these people had PROBLEMS!!! And Twitter is being REAL ignorant tonight.

Twitter smh at least last.fm showing her love.

That's good.

Oh yeah I forgot to mention on that Motown list, ONLY Harvey Fuqua got to live past 79 and yet he died before turning 81. I think it's still a young age to go out but apparently if it's your time, it's your time.

Teena is one of many of the Motown greats who died in their early 50s.

Man, I cant imagine how horrifying it was for the daugther to go into her mothers mom and finding her dead. Just terrible.

psychodelicide said:

babybugz said:

That was my reaction too. It was so ironic that Teena would tweet that one day before she died.

It reminds me of DJ AM tweet.

silverchild said:

Some of my favorites:

There are countless others...R.I.P. Teena

Yes for You Make Love Like Springtime.....

I cant believe it still.......her voice is so touching...gives me chills!!!!

Oh, how I envy the angels who have gotten such a glorious choir to ascend over the past few years. Our loss is heaven's gain. Live every day as if it were your last and take every breath as if it were your final. Memories are what give us eternal life so continue to remember those who have been promoted to glory. To us, they may have gone too soon but to those in the next life they are right on time.

Music isn't going to sound as good anymore to me....I just played her song "Sapphire (resilient) last night...she was telling me goodbye...tears go here...

paisleypark4 said:

I cant believe this....MY GIRL!!!!! Its hard to even watch her perform on youtube right now...I listened to one song..and I cant listen to anymore right now....

I know, it was so hard to drive home and hear them keep playing her songs. I thought I was going to break down driving home.

PurpleDiamond2009 said:

Man, I cant imagine how horrifying it was for the daugther to go into her mothers mom and finding her dead. Just terrible.

Apparently the same thing happened when Michael died: his son Prince tried to wake him up and he didn't respond. I believe it was Prince anyway.

CNN and Dom Lemon is giving her real props @ the moment.

(AP) – 29 minutes ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Teena Marie, who made history as Motown's first white act but developed a lasting legacy with her silky soul pipes and with hits like "Lovergirl," ''Square Biz," and "Fire and Desire" with mentor Rick James, has died. She was 54.

The confirmation came from a publicist, Jasmine Vega, who worked with Teena Marie on her last album. Her manager, Mike Gardner, also confirmed her death to CNN.

Teena Marie, known as the "Ivory Queen of Soul," was certainly not the first white act to sing soul music, but she was arguably among the most gifted and respected, and was thoroughly embraced by the black audience.

She was first signed to the legendary Motown label back in 1979 at age 19, working with James, with whom she would have long, turbulent but musically magical relationship.

The cover of her album, "Wild and Peaceful," did not feature her image, with Motown apparently fearing backlash by audiences if they found out the songstress with the dynamic voice was white.

But Marie notched her first hit, "I'm A Sucker for Your Love," and was 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" and "Ooh La La La."

Marie had a daughter and had toured in recent years after overcoming an addiction to prescription drugs.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

----
They need to make a correction: Teena was signed to Motown in 1975, not 1979. They got the age right though.

I am so terribly upset over this.

So many songs, words, melodies that will never be forgotten. I was so head over heels giddy to get to meet her last summer.

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/personal/meandteena.jpg[/img:$uid]

You brought great joy and inspiration to so many. You will be greatly missed.

R.I.P. beautiful Lady T.

Wow. I've never been a Teena Marie fan. In fact, I've always been very much a critic of hers. The voice just never did much for me.

I have to say, though, I really gain a certain respect for her reading the responses here and across the internet. I had no idea she had such a sizeable, loyal following. Good on her.

Timmy84 said:

Well add Teena to the list of Motown legends who died before her time:

• Shorty Long (1940-1969); aged 29, drowning
• Benny Benjamin, Funk Brother (1925-1969); aged 44, stroke
• Tammi Terrell (1945-1970); aged 24, complications of brain cancer
• Paul Williams (1939-1973); aged 34, suicide
• Al Bryant of the original Temptations (1939-1975); aged 36, cirrhosis of the liver
• Florence Ballard (1943-1976); aged 32, coronary thrombosis
• Georgeanna Tillman of the Marvelettes (1945-1980); aged 35, complications of lupus
• Sandra Tilley of Martha and the Vandellas (1945-1981); aged 36, breast cancer
• James Jamerson, Funk Brother (1936-1983); aged 47, lung cancer
• Marvin Gaye (1939-1984); aged 44, gunshot wounds
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown, Funk Brother (1932-1984); aged 52
• O'Kelly Isley of the Isley Brothers (1937-1986); aged 48, heart attack
• David Ruffin (1941-1991); aged 50, drug overdose
• Eddie Kendricks (1939-1992); aged 52, lung cancer
• Earl Van Dyke, Funk Brother (1930-1992); aged 52, prostate cancer
• Mary Wells (1943-1992); aged 49, laryngeal cancer
• Robert White, Funk Brother (1936-1994); aged 57
• Melvin Franklin (1942-1995); aged 52, brain seizure (apparently this is what also killed Teena)
• Ronnie White (1939-1995); aged 56, leukemia
• Bobby DeBarge (1956-1995); aged 39, AIDS complications
• Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops (1936-1997); aged 61, cancer
• Gwen Gordy Fuqua, songwriter (1927-1999); aged 71, cancer
• Barbara Randolph (1942-2002); aged 60, cancer
• Syreeta Wright (1946-2004); aged 57, congestive heart failure
• Rick James (1948-2004); aged 56, heart attack
• Renaldo "Obie" Benson of the Four Tops (1936-2005); aged 69, lung cancer
• Billy Preston (1946-2006); aged 59, malignant hyper tension
• Billy Henderson (1939-2007); aged 58, complications due to diabetes
• Levi Stubbs (1936-2008); aged 72, natural causes
• Michael Jackson (1958-2009); aged 50, cardiac arrest
• Harvey Fuqua (1929-2010); aged 80, heart attack
• Teena Marie (1956-2010); aged 54, apparently from a seizure

----

If I miss more let me know. Of that list, only two lived past aged 70 but 70 is still a young age to clock out IMHO.

[Edited 12/26/10 19:08pm]

[Edited 12/26/10 19:12pm]

[Edited 12/26/10 19:18pm]

Like I said in a few threads before, Smokey, Stevie, Diana, & Martha are outliving their label mates. Oh, I can't forget about Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong, & Jean Terrell.