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R&B singer-songwriter Teena Marie has died at 54 years old |
She was reportedly found by her daughter, having died in her sleep. No cause of death has been confirmed, although her publicist suggests that it could be a complication from a grand mal seizure that Marie suffered from last month. She was supposed to perform in Atlanta for the first time since the seizure next week. The publicist last spoke to Marie on Christmas Day.
Teena Marie is one of the most successful white R&B performers in music history, scoring seven top 10 singles and two platinum albums. She is also known for being a protegé of the late Rick James, performing with him on the classic "Fire and Desire". One of my personal favorites of hers in "Lovergirl", off of her platinum 1984 album Starchild. It would go on to be her biggest hit, charting at #4 on the pop charts.
Marie was also responsible for changing the relationship between record labels and artists. Before the 360 deals of today, record labels had control over an artists' career that seems Draconian now. Marie took Motown to court in the early-80's to escape her contract after she felt they failed to properly promote her work. The result of the legal battle was the Brockert Initiative (named after her real last name). The law made it illegal for record companies to keep an artist under contract without releasing their music, allowing artists to leave their labels if they are unhappy. The law was a landmark for the industry, forever changing how artists managed their careers and how much say the labels had.
I offer my condolences to Teena's family.
Have a favorite song or memory of Teena Marie? Share them in the comments section!
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