Teddy Pendergrass
In 1980 I was slated to do some pre-marketing for Teddy Pendergrass. He was coming out with Designer Jeans. This was major. There were no Black Designer Jeans back then.
The campaign was not promoted the way it should have been. I remember being told that because it was a Black product, it would not sell, (by people in his camp who were to promote and market his product). But that was way long before Jay Z, Sean John and Beyoncé. It was a shame then that people did not believe it could work. The jeans had a short-lived run. They had a teddy bear logo and of course that was this dreamboat's nick name to his fans, "Teddy Bear".
I remember meeting Teddy Pendergrass for the first time at the Apollo back around 1971. He was the drummer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Harold kept prodding Teddy to come up front with the guys and sing. He did not want to. He protested that he was a drummer. Now Teddy could definitely drum but he also did sing back-up with the guys. He harmonized, signified doing a kind of call and response thing, as he grunted and riffed to the songs.
He finally came up front with the guys to sing and then went on to his own fabulous solo career. History would prove Teddy Bear to become one the most phenomenal lead soul singers of all time.
The campaign was not promoted the way it should have been. I remember being told that because it was a Black product, it would not sell, (by people in his camp who were to promote and market his product). But that was way long before Jay Z, Sean John and Beyoncé. It was a shame then that people did not believe it could work. The jeans had a short-lived run. They had a teddy bear logo and of course that was this dreamboat's nick name to his fans, "Teddy Bear".
I remember meeting Teddy Pendergrass for the first time at the Apollo back around 1971. He was the drummer for Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes. Harold kept prodding Teddy to come up front with the guys and sing. He did not want to. He protested that he was a drummer. Now Teddy could definitely drum but he also did sing back-up with the guys. He harmonized, signified doing a kind of call and response thing, as he grunted and riffed to the songs.
He finally came up front with the guys to sing and then went on to his own fabulous solo career. History would prove Teddy Bear to become one the most phenomenal lead soul singers of all time.