04/2015
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Sad news has come from the musical world of American R&B and soul. Muscle Shoals icon Percy Sledge has passed away. Most notable for recording the single “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1966, the Leighton, AL native has been a major voice in the industry for over 40 years.

Born in 1941, Sledge got his start when he began touring the southeastern U.S. in the mid-1960s with the Esquires Combo. It wasn’t until his soulful voice was discovered by the talented producing duo of Ivy and Marlin Greene that Sledge would become renowned for his romantic ballads. Throughout a long and fruitful career, Sledge released a large discography with Atlantic Records featuring a voice that transcended age for the romantics in us all.

Although “When a Man Loves a Woman” would become the cornerstone of his career, resulting in multiple memorable cover versions, other notable classics included “Warm and Tender Love,” “It Tears Me Up,” “Take Time to Know Her,” “Love Me Tender”, and “Cover Me”. He would move on to become a sweeping international success in the 70s as well with the release of his chart-topping hits “I’ll Be Your Everything” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”.

It wasn’t until the late 1980s that Sledge’s career would be revived with the re-issued release of “When a Man Loves a Woman,” which would lead to Michael Bolton’s famous version of the song on the album Time, Love, & Tenderness. Since then, the song has been featured prominently in many films and television series as a romantic gesture during some of Hollywood’s more intimate scenes.

The soul singer’s later career would see the legend inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2010, a four-disc retrospective of the artist’s life in music was released entitled The Atlantic Recordings, covering what many believed to be the highlight of the singer’s career during his time at Atlantic Records in the 1960s. The retrospective would also include many un-issued tracks never released in the U.S.

Sledge’s singles continue to be a landmark in the history of romantic soul music. The musical icon died at the age of 73.

Thanks for the music, Mr. Sledge.

Rest In Paradise, Mr. Sledge

Powerful voice, WaMLaW is one of my very fav songs of all time, easily a top40 of mine

Pisses me off that he was doped into selling the rights to his biggest song. Rest In Heaven.

RIP

Percy Sledge: His 10 Essential Tracks

"When A Man Loves A Woman"
"Warm and Tender Love"

"It Tears Me Up"
"Dark End of the Street"

"Cover Me"
"Take Time to Know Her"

"It's All Wrong But It's Alright"
"True Love Travels on a Gravel Road"

"I'll Be Your Everything"
"Going Home Tomorrow"




Listed compiled by Rolling Stone

[Edited 4/25/15 6:54am]

Quintessential Soul singer...

Mr. Sledge RIP

October 1970 interview