Teena Marie, RIP

It's all good we're on the same tip. Here is a recent interview with T herself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtBCHsTxsw0

May she live on through her music.....

 

Apparently she had a seizure about a month before, but prior to that I'd never heard about her having any health issues.

 

Terrible,it happens out of nowhere sometimes. Someone close to me with nary a previous condition died of a heart attack at 56.

JH, Her bass player McGrier used a Music Man Stingray and that instrument and its glorious sound were both so evident on Lovergirl and Square Biz. Perhaps the most accurate reflection of the Music Man's funkiness in recorded history.

 

RIP way too young...

 

That is terrible. I'm deeply sorry to hear of your loss.

Allen McGrier has long been one of my favorite bass players! His sound and touch on the MM Stingray on Teena's biggest hits is immediately identifiable. McGrier grew up the childhood friend of James Jamerson, Jr. and James, Sr. was Allen's bass teacher/mentor back in Detroit. The first hit of Teena's I can remember hearing him play the Music Man on was "Behind The Groove" in 1980.

 

Thanks for your condolences,mate.

In the back of my mind, I wanted to interview her. I just have been busy with so many different things that I never got around to it. I had some really great things to ask her.Oh well, we still have her music...

Allen was something else wasn't he? I have always loved the grind of a Stingray but he really made that bass sing. His playing on Behind The Groove was positively sick wasn't it? A very underrated talent just like Lady T was.

 

Likewise sorry to hear about your loss, Butch.

Teena Marie always seemed to me a tough girl on the surface that hid a lot of pain inside. In interviews, I was always surprised at her candor and willingness to share stories about her life, however unflattering to her they seemed. She had no tolerance for rock-industry politics, and seemed to enjoy explaining how her label was misrepresenting her even as she was decked out in her post-Rick "Lovergirl" duds.

I'd love to have interviewed her except that combination of natural sexiness and total candor could be daunting. I'll definitely miss her, and treasure what she left behind, both in terms of music and persona.

 

Condolences to her family. Apparently yesterday was her daughters 18th birthday, which makes her passing even more sad. R.I.P.

 

Thanks,Slokes. My uncle was a great guy. He loved funk music so Lady T was right up his alley.

She didn't play the game per se. It was difficult for her in that she was a white girl that sincerely wanted to do black music. No not a white pop confection that has some superficial soul and R & B influences, she lived and breathed those influences. I never felt she was a wannabe no matter what folks thought about her. The proof in the pudding is in the music. And to be honest with or without Slick Rick, she really gave it her all.

 

I had heard things a couple of years ago, particularly after Rick passed.

 

RIP

 

You're welcome. Again sorry to hear about that.

I regret missing my opportunity to see her live. She was in the Bay Area several months back touring in support of her most recent album "Congo Square" which was also nominated for a Grammy this past year.

Allen's playing was definitely one of the reasons why I own and play a Stingray today. (the one shown in my avatar). He definitely is underrated.

Speaking of underrated, if you haven't seen it, check out the episode on Teena Marie on the program "Unsung" on TVOne. One of the best episodes of that series.

 

Yes, I think you hear a lot of that in the bonus disc for Rick James' Street Songs released a few years ago. She's totally in her element, playing to the crowd and to the sexual chemistry between her and Rick, whether he wants to play along or not.

"Lovergirl" is one of my favorite '80s hits. Unfortunately they were trying to play her up as a Prince/Sheena E. style Minneapolis soul popster, and it wasn't really her, but the last two minutes of "Lovergirl" is like rolling in the bedsheets with Madonna.

 

So young!

 

Yahoo News is calling her Motown's first white act. Uh, no.

 

You are so right! That's the main reason why she has been so beloved and revered by R&B music fans because she was THE REAL DEAL!! You knew from the moment you heard her that she lived and breathed that music. Her pop crossover success didn't really happen until 5 or 6 years into her recording career, and even that was fleeting compared to her fanbase in the African American community. Only her album "La Doña" released in 2004 made the top 10 on the Billboard pop album chart peaking at #6. Her other two recent albums "Sapphire" released in 2006 and 2009's "Congo Square" made the top 30 and top 20 respectively. All three of those albums entered the top 10 on the R&B album charts when they debuted.

 

Man, "Lovergirl" was a staple on the radio back in the day. To be honest I haven't given Tina a thought in some 20 years, but I just played the video on youtube and I still know the song (LG) nearly word for word.

Rest In Peace, Tina!

 

Thanks, Jeff.

 

Sad news. I really enjoyed her material and as previously stated, she was the real deal. RIP Lady T

 

What a horrible way to get home from a gig. I am just speechless. What can you say about this...

Ed

 

MSN had a write-up and that is what I saw before logging in here. They didn't mention a cause of death, but did mention she "recently" overcame an addiction to prescription meds. Not to sound dim on the subject, but could the med problem and heart attack be linked?

 

I always felt that Teena had been keeping it on the real so to speak. She had even joked around about her so-called crossover success and she basically she:"what crossover success?" Contrary to what people might think,she kept her street cred in the African American community. Black folks knew that she wasn't fronting. Her so-called pop success was certainly short lived in comparison to her R & B success in retrospect.

Funny that you mention how she finally debuted in the Billboard top Ten Album Chart. I thank Soundscan for that. In the old days, record companies could segregate R & B,rap, rock and country into different charts with ease. BUT when real sales were recognized the floodgates opened. The illusion of Country not being mainstream was thrown to the wind with that changeover.Rap came to the fore and we saw the rise of R & B/soul as well. And Teena's later success on the pop charts showed that she was still a force to be reckoned with AND that she could still move units!

 

RW there could be a link to be sure BUT you never know with heart disease. There are a lot of variables..... she could have had hypertension , a high pulse rate.... My uncle died in his sleep with no warning signs. It could be many different factors that contributed to her passing. We won't know until the coroner's report so any speculation until then is pure speculation to be sure......

 

To my sweet Lady T. Will miss ya so much, thanks for getting me through my own tough times, your music always made me smile girl!!

The angel's choir just got one of the strongest voices, we were blessed to have ya here

, your #1 fan, stuwee

 

Very sad to hear; my father passed away of a heart attack at 54, as well, 15 years ago. At almost 47, 54 doesn't seem that far off. Anyone with any family medical history of high blood pressure, do what you must to get it under control....and don't let stress control you, you control stress. As Butch said, there are a lot of variables and we can't be sure yet about Teena; my deepest condolences to Teena's family and those who have posted on this thread who have lost loved ones, suddenly, before there time.