Percy
Sledge, singer of 'When a Man Loves a Woman,' dies at 74
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[April 15, 2015]
By Patricia Reaney and Jonathan Kaminsky
NEW YORK/NEW ORLEANS
(Reuters) - Soul singer Percy Sledge, best known for his
recording of "When a Man Loves a Woman," died at his
home in Louisiana at age 74 after battling liver cancer,
his representatives said on Tuesday.
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Sledge, dubbed "The King of Slow Soul," recorded the song for
Atlantic Records in 1966. It was his first single and is
considered one of the greatest of all soul songs. He was
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
"It is with great sadness that we must say goodbye to a true
legend, a humble family man, and a beautiful human being," said
his friend and manager Mark Lyman.
Sledge died peacefully at home in Baton Rouge surrounded by his
family. He had been diagnosed with the illness more than a year
ago and his condition worsened last week. He had not performed
since the middle of March last year.
Funeral details were not available.
"Everybody loved him. It wasn't just about 'When a Man Loves a
Woman.' There were many other songs that he recorded," Lyman
said. "He was an ambassador of the humble man but yet an
international icon."
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Born in Leighton, Alabama, Sledge rose to stardom in the 1960s.
He worked as a hospital orderly for about seven years and began
performing with the Esquires in local clubs. Sledge was known
for his distinctive vocals and recorded a string of hits,
including "Warm and Tender Love," "It Tears Me Up," and "Take
Time to Know Her."
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But "When a Man Loves A Woman" was his signature song and he said
the inspiration came after his girlfriend left him. The song, which
is No. 53 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 greatest songs of all
time, was recorded by other artists, including Michael Bolton and
Bette Midler.
Sledge received the first career achievement award from the Rhythm &
Blues Foundation in 1989 and was also an inductee into the Alabama
Music Hall of Fame.
While Sledge was best known in the United States for "When a Man
Loves a Woman," he was popular in other places like the Caribbean
and Scandinavia.
"They knew every song," his agent Steve Green said of Sledge's
global audience. "They knew it just like they knew ‘When a Man Loves
a Woman.'"
Sledge is survived by his wife, Rosa, several children and a brother
and sister.
(Editing by Mary Milliken, Jonathan Oatis and Nick Zieminski)
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