Percy Sledge, whose fiery and passionate voice rocked the original version of "When A Man Loves A Woman", passed away on April 14th at the age of seventy-four.
Sledge was born and raised in Leighton, Alabama and worked a series of jobs as a field hand before becoming an orderly at a hospital. It was during this time he was introduced to producer, Quinn Ivy where he went on to impress him with his amazing vocal ability during an audition and was signed to a recording contract.
"Woman" was Sledge's very first single and became an international smash in 1966, reaching number one on the U.S. pop and r&b chart. While he never had another song this successful, Sledge would continue to record and became a very popular touring act. "When A Man Loves A Woman" has since become a classic with it being covered by a countless number of performers. A version by Michael Bolton would become a major success, hitting number one in the U.S. in 1991.
Percy Sledge was honored with The Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award in 1989 and inducted in to The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
"When A Man Loves A Woman" - Percy Sledge (1966) mp3
Here are Michael Bolton and the great Percy Sledge performing their number one song together:
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