Movie review-Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Know Me

Teddy Pendergrass was one of the most popular recording artists of the 70s, first as lead singer of Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes and then as a solo artist. His nickname was Black Elvis. But it all came crashing down after a 1982 car accident made Pendergrass a paraplegic. This documentary Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don't Me tells his story. The film was produced by his family and his manager Shep Gordon for BBC Films and directed by Olivia Lichtenstein. It is airing on Showtime in the US and Crave TV in Canada. One of the interesting things about this film is that Pendergrass recorded a series of cassettes detailing his life in preparation for his 1998 autobiography. His voice is heard several times during the film. The film begins with a recreation of the 1982 car accident. Recreations are used a couple of times in the film but not to a great extent. Pendergrass was born Mar. 26, 1960 in Kingstree, SC and he was raised by his mother in Philadelphia. He grew up singing in church and he was an ordained minister at age ten. He sang with friends on streetcorners and took up the drums. The Blue Notes leader Harold Melvin hired Pendergrass as a drummer in 1970. But after Melvin heard him sing, Pendergrass was made lead singer. The Blue Notes signed with Philadelphia International owned by legendary producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. They were supposed to be called The Blue Notes. But Melvin convinced Gamble and Huff to call them Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Gamble and Huff talk about this in the film. They had some big hits including If You Don't Know Me By Now. But many fans didn't know that Pendergrass was the lead singer. Questlove of The Roots admits that he didn't know. This was a big problem for Pendergrass and he left to go solo in 1975. Pendergrass scored four straight Platinum albums and hit singles like Turn Out The Lights. And he was a big hit in concerts with female fans tossing undergarments on stage. He was not only a great singer but he had tons of charisma. His manager Shep Gordon talks about this in the film. It all ended on Mar. 18, 1982 when Pendergrass crashed his Rolls Royce. He suffered a spinal cord injury and he was a paraplegic. During his recovery, Pendergrass left Philadelphia International for Elektra Asylum. Bob Krasnow of Elektra Asylum is interviewed in the film. Pendergrass released an album in 1984. But he wanted to return to the stage. I won't spoil it by going into detail. But Pendergrass performed Reach Out and Touch with Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson at Farm Aid July 13, 1985. Valerie talks about this in the film. That's when the film ends. Pendergrass continued to record regularly until 1993. He performed a couple of times until he retired in 2006. After 2009 colon cancer surgery, Teddy Pendergrass died on January 13, 2010. This film is worth checking out. It airs on Showtime in the US, Crave TV in Canada and the BBC in England. Check out the trailer.