My Life is No Accident: A memoir by Tenika Watson, as told to Jennifer Daelyn

Product Information

She was asked by Faggins if there was any part of her life that she would like to change, Watson stated, "I wish I had been born genetically a woman instead of having to get surgery. Society won't accept me as a woman." PGN: What was family life like? TW: It was good. My parents were great. My father did roadwork for the state and my mother did domestic work. In 2006, Pendergrass announced his retirement from the music business. [16] In 2007, he briefly returned to performing to participate in Teddy 25: A Celebration of Life, Hope & Possibilities, a 25th anniversary awards ceremony that marked Pendergrass's crash, but also raised money for his charity, The Teddy Pendergrass Alliance, and honored those who helped Pendergrass since the accident. [17] Personal life and death [ edit ] Grave of Teddy Pendergrass at West Laurel Hill Cemetery Pendergrass got well-wishes from thousands of his fans during his recovery. In August 1982, Philadelphia International released This One's for You, which failed to chart successfully, as did 1983's Heaven Only Knows. Both albums included material Pendergrass had recorded before the crash. The albums completed his contract with Philadelphia International. By the time Pendergrass decided to return to the studio to work on new music he had struggled to find a recording deal. Eventually signing a contract with Asylum Records and completing physical therapy, he released Love Language in 1984. [7] The album included the pop ballad " Hold Me", featuring a then-unknown Whitney Houston. [7] It reached No. 38 on the Billboard album chart and was certified Gold by the RIAA.

Pendergrass was driving in the East Falls section of Philadelphia when he lost control of his Rolls Royce. PGN: Reading about the accident, it seems that the media didn’t know at first about you being … what terminology would you like me to use? Were you frightened? TW: No, they didn’t say anything because they didn’t know. [Laughs.] Yeah, I was scared. I thought, if anyone finds out, they’re going to lynch me! It was scary wondering if was going to get out or when. Trying to figure out how to survive or explain it. I was never given a chance to explain. The only paper that gave me a break was the [Philadelphia] Tribune. This proves to me I can. I have. Others can. It's just a wonderfully glorious opportunity that I've been given, and I'm just taking total advantage of it." The 105-minute documentary includes rarely seen original footage of Teddy’s performances as well as candid interviews with people who performed with him, close friends and family members. Staff (5 August 2021). "James Brown 'cape man' to be inducted into R&B Hall of Fame". www.wrdw.com . Retrieved August 16, 2021.The Los Angeles Times is giving itself a day to debate the issue as politcally-correct newsrooms are wont to do, by running a brief obit which does not mention the specifics of the crash that ended Pendergrass’ career as sex symbol and turned him into a figure of pity. The New York Times, for now, is relying on that AP report. In 1982, charismatic soul singer Teddy Pendergrass was at the peak of his career when he slammed his Rolls Royce into a tree, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Though there were no other vehicles involved in the crash, there was a passenger in Pendergrass' car. In the wake of the accident, questions emerged about this mystery woman. Her name was Tenika Watson, a nightclub performer and transgender woman.

PGN: Any other hobbies? TW: I’ve always made clothes and I still make clothes for the girls every now and then, if someone has a special occasion or show coming up. She was asked by Faggins if there was any part of her life that she would like to change, Watson stated, ‘I wish I had been born genetically a woman instead of having to get surgery. Society won’t accept me as a woman.’She also plans to create more segments and conversations built around what fans of the show want to discuss. As executive producer, Watson wants to create more conversations on women of color's realities in their everyday lives. Teddy Pendergrass was born Theodore DeReese Pendergrass on March 26, 1950, in Kingstree, South Carolina. [5] He was the only child of Jesse and Ida Geraldine (née Epps) Pendergrass. Ida suffered six miscarriages before successfully giving birth to Teddy. When Pendergrass was very young, his father left the family. As he grew older, his mother promised him that she would find his father so that they could meet. She fulfilled that promise, and Teddy met his father when he was 11 years old. Not long after, Jesse was stabbed to death on June 13, 1962, during an altercation with another man. He was 47 years of age. Pendergrass grew up in the impoverished section of North Philadelphia and often sang at church. He dreamed of being a pastor and got his wish when, at age 10, he was ordained a minister (according to author Robert Ewell Greene). Pendergrass also took up drums during this time and was a junior deacon of his church.