Philly Soul became a staple of 1970s R&with such artists as Gamble & Huff, The O'Jays, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin and The Delfonics.
Theodore DeReese "Teddy" Pendergrass (March 26, 1950 – January 13, 2010) was an American R&B/soul singer and songwriter. Pendergrass first rose to fame as lead singer of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes in the 1970s before a successful solo career at the end of the decade. In 1982, he was severely injured in an auto accident in Philadelphia, resulting in his being paralyzed from the waist down. After his injury, the affable entertainer founded the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, a foundation that helps those with spinal cord injuries. [bad word] 25 years of living after his spinal cord injury with star filled event, Teddy 25 - Celebration of Life at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center.