The year was 1978 and photographer Bobby Holland and I, both 23 and cutting our teeth at Soul Newspaper, had just become roommates in a two bedroom mid-Wilshire Los Angeles apartment. World Headquarters. Without a cooking stove.
Teena would come visit Bobby in her little blue Chevy Vega with the black racing stripe and find us preparing "meals" (okay, grilled cheese) on a reversible electric waffle iron as if it were a six burner O'Keefe and Merritt. The day we got a stove, Teena came over with a bag from Fedco, where she'd bought us a Teflon skillet and some pots.
Back then, she wasn't Teena Marie, as in TEENA MARIE. She was just this sandy-haired little white girl who, as seen in the black and white headshots Motown hired Bobby to shoot (they're in cyberspace), resembled a teenager instead of an unknown 21 year-old singer/songwriter who, in the hands of bewildered staff producers, languished at the label for three years.
Teena was welcomed into our family of friends. She didn't drink; back then, you couldn't even get her to take a hit on a joint. A warm and simple young woman with a wise and folksy soul, Teena was also introspective and subtly melancholic, the way one is when their spirit searches for something.
Sometimes she'd sing her original songs for us, either a cappella or while accompanying herself on acoustic guitar or, when we came upon one somewhere, piano.
The three of us would ride in the front seat of Bobby's white Pontiac Grand LeManns–the plates read "FUNK MOB" in honor of Parliament/Funkadelic–with Bobby behind the wheel, me on the door and Teena in the middle, tending to every song that came out of the radio.
Imagine cruising down La Brea one evening, on the way to have Mexican, with a voice harnessing the power and agility of say, a young Teena Marie– just months away from becoming TEENA MARIE–in your right ear. Think of that voice randomly slicing the car's conversation with an exquisitely crafted ad-lib to Aretha's "Until You Come Back Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" or quietly putting a hurting on Enchantment's "It's You That I Need."
She wouldn't be showing off. I imagine much of the time, she wasn't even conscious of it. Teena was simply one of those gifted people whose creativity was forever trying to be freed.
She was a soul singer who counted Smokey Robinson as a major influence. She liked '70s R&B singer/songwriter Ronnie McNeir (with whom she later recorded a duet) and loved dramatic, swaying, soul and vocal jazz.
Which is why, when she excitedly told us Motown had assigned their hottest new artist to produce her first album–the Bootsy-after-taxes in dirty Levis and cheap jewelry (this was before the money) we'd seen swaggering through the halls of the label named Rick James–I thought it was all wrong. Rick was about the funk, which we absolutely loved, but Teena was more melodic and potentially expansive musically.
No matter. The day Teena began recording with Rick at Marvin Gaye's private Sunset Blvd. studio, there were so many of us in the control booth, it's a wonder Rick didn't ask us all to leave. We were giddy over Teena finally getting the shot she deserved.
Her 1979 debut album, "Wild And Peaceful," written and produced by Rick James, did exactly what it was supposed to. Marketed by Motown as a successful act's protege, Teena got plenty of airplay at black radio.
Initially, record buyers thought she was black. Motown wanted it that way: fearing a white R&B singer wouldn't get any love from a black demographic, the label strategically left Teena's photo off the album's cover. Ironically, in the '60s, Motown also occasionally did this with its black artists, figuring if black faces weren't on the cover, whites would feel more comfortable in buying the black music they loved.
As it turned out, blacks couldn't care less about Teena's hue. The more they learned about her through magazine interviews and television appearances, the more they embraced her. For the whole of her career, Teena's fan base was 99.9 percent black (Joking, she mentioned to me playing Europe for the first time and quizzically looking out into an audience of mostly white faces). If blacks didn't like her, it was because they didn't care for her voice or style, not because she was some patronizing white chick.
The acceptance was incredibly gratifying to Teena (during first appearance on "Soul Train" in '79, she was over the moon). Despite what anyone may have thought, she never tried to be anyone but herself. She couldn't help that as a child she'd been raised among blacks and loved artists of another era, including Duke Ellington, Ella, Billie Holliday and a particular favorite, Sarah Vaughn.
However, while Teena enjoyed recording and performing, she was never entirely comfortable with celebrity. Too often it called for her to be something other than the curious, down-to-earth little girl she was back then.
Despite her blossoming talent as a writer, Teena had to plead with Motown for the opportunity to produce own her records. Females generally weren't allowed to produce (Motown's Valerie Simpson of the duo Ashford and Simpson was an exception); they weren't considered qualified to tell a studio full of mostly male session musicians what to play.
To be sure, not every artist, male or female, is a producer. But Teena, proficient on piano and rhythm guitar, possessed a succinct understanding of what she wanted her music to sound like. When Motown let her write and produce her own albums is when the world was presented a clearer musical portrait of Teena. Songs like "I Need Your Lovin'," "Ooh La La" and "Square Biz" illustrated her ability to create a radio-ready ditty, while "Portuguese Love" and "Casanova Brown" revealed clear compositional skills.
Time and personal goals change everything. Teena and Bobby parted ways. At some point, the only time I saw Teena was when I was assigned to interview her. But we all remained friends. Many of the people we introduced her to during that period, just regular ol' people, she kept in contact with over the span of her life. Last time I saw Teena was a little over a year ago, backstage somewhere. She was the same Teena–loving and warm, asking about people. Asking about me.
Bobby, who'd introduced me to her all those years ago, was the first to call with the news. Numb actually has a sound: it resonates a quiet, pained resignation. It vibrates with the ominous fear of personal mortality.
Teena would have been moved at how quickly word of her passing traveled through a stunned black America. She'd be humbled that pop music giants such as Motown founder Berry Gordy, producers Gamble and Huff, the hip hop community and others in between all publicly express sadness that she is gone.
I was surprised to see that Teena was only 54. I knew that, I guess. But after all this time, she still felt like my younger sis. To me, her tender disposition had forever cast her as a much younger spirit–a spirit I sincerely hope has finally found what it was searching for.
Steven Ivory, journalist and author of the essay collection Fool In Love (Simon & Schuster), has covered popular culture for magazines, newspapers, radio and TV for more than 30 years. Respond to him via STEVRIVORY@AOL.COM.
Artical 2
Singer Teena Marie, Dead at Age 54 after suffering a Grand Mal Seizure
The first time I saw Teena Marie, I was working with Rick James. This tiny girl came walking into his office with a kinda confident swagger and I remember thinking "She's her?".
This tiny white girl has "THAT" voice, wow?. I didn't see her again until I was in the Record Plant studio in Sausalito watching Rick record tracks for his Street Songs album. It was probably 2am, I had fallen asleep, when someone said "Wake Up" Teena's here and they're gonna cut "Fire and Desire".
A few minutes later they went into the booth and recorded the song, in one take. I was flabbergasted. There was this little girl, with this big heart who in that moment only had eye's for Rick, their chemistry and connection was obvious and it showed up in a recording that still sounds great today.
Not only did the song hold up over time, but so did her amazing voice. I had the opportunity to watch her perform for a small group of friends and family in tribute to Fuller Gordy 2 years ago, and I remember being taken aback again as she sang and thinking "She actually sounds better now than she did then".
The gifts you gave us all, your incredible spunk, voice and spirit will live forever.
RIP Teena
by Donna Ross-Jones
Memories of Teena by CLP25
In the early 80s, when I was a teen, it was not acceptable for young white women where I lived (in the South) to be a part of, or even interested in, African American culture.
However - that is what I felt myself drawn to.
When I dated interracially in 9th grade, I had death threats called to my house, name calling, threats to beat me up, nasty stuff written about me on my locker and in the bathrooms, etc. etc. It was a horrible time for me, especially since I never understood what the big deal was.
If a guy asked me out, and he was nice looking and intelligent, if I said "no" because of his color - what did that make me? I wasn't raised to be a racist.
Anyhow, the first song I actually heard by Teena on the radio that I can remember was MIDNIGHT MAGNET. Something about that song just captured me. Now I realize that many of Teenas songs are like mini romance novels which is why they resonate so much with those of us searching for true love.
Anyhow, I found out more about Teena and started buying her past and future records and studying the lyrics and liner notes to find out more about this tiny woman with the big voice who was putting my thoughts and feelings to music.
TOO MANY COLORS was my life story and anthem at this point of my life. There were times that I considered suicide when the pain became almost too much to bear (being rejected by your peers as a teen is just the worst) - but seeing and listening to the beautiful and talented Teena gave me hope.
About 7-8 years ago, I saw her in concert and she stepped down off the stage into the audience while singing "Deja Vu". She ended up standing in my husband's chair, right next to me, as she belted out the song and connected with the crowd. It was such a beautiful moment, one that I will never forget.
She has no idea what she meant to me but I'm sharing her music on facebook and via emails to anyone who will listen.
It's a shame that it took her death to bring this much media attention to her. My heart goes out to her family (esp. her daughter) because I know how torn up I've been about her death without actually knowing her.
Glad to have this community of fans who truly understand.
"Maybe that will express what I've been going through"
Memories of Teena response by laura
Oh! You forgot "Ask your Mama"...."We think we're the perfect blend, but they can't see behind the skin".
lol. I went to middle school(78-80) and HS (80-84)in SC. I can relate. But having grown up with a black step dad (since I was a baby), the black culture was all I knew. Daddy hated me bringing home "the knuckleheads" 'cause he didn't want his girls going through what he and mom went through (married in 68). But if you love your daddy, you look for him in the men (boys) you date.
I didn't get as much of the heat you speak of though, 'cause, honestly, I was quickly accepted into the black "sub-culture", which is what it was back in the day. Most times I'd be the only white girl at the "house parties", or the parties at the "Hall".
But in regards to Teena, although I knew of "Square Biz" and "Portugese Love", and that someone named "Teena Marie" sang them, I didn't learn about her until my friends started teasingly calling me "Teena". It was a little inside joke they had on me until someone eventually let me in on it. This person said "they call you that because Teena Marie is a white girl, but that's the only thing white about her...just like you". So I had to check her out. It has been nothing but love every since.
I IMMEDIATELY related to Teena's lyrics.
"
How i heard the news (BY Jeanien)
Hi all,
I have been lurking for a while, but I noticed no one spoke out on HOW they heard that Teena had passed.
My story maybe in my opinion, the worse...
I was on Facebook at the time and all of a sudden I kept receiving all of these "RIP Tina Marie" posts.
This pissed me off, #1, They spelled her name wrong..
#2, They only announced it on the radio (WDAS) around 7 PM (Philly time)
#3, No detail was given and the Wiki page for Teena already gave a death time...
I did some investigating, on the internet, and the only site that had information was the WDAS website and another radio blog (b/t/w that same station said that Aretha passed too...and then corrected it about an hour later). Well, I found nothing but a tweet from Ronald Isley saying RIP Lady T or something. Its kinda like before Bernie Mac passed, people were saying that he was dead already. That pissed me off. No official site (MSN, MTV, Network News outlets, etc.) stated anything about Teena, let alone her death.
An hour went by and I was flooded with phone calls and texts asking me whether it was true and people offering their condolences. I told them that there has been no confirmation or reputable source...that is until 8:30 pm where a Roland Martin from CNN posted about the death on his page, stating that her own manager didn't know of her death until she went to her house and saw Alia.
At this point, there were over a 100 people posting Teena Marie RIP in their statuses...
I sent a link on my FB page to Roland Martin's Blog and CNN, who reported she died of "Natural Causes" at 54.
Then I thought back to all the years I wanted to go and see Teena and these "friends" looked at me as if I had grown a second head. They didn't want to go to the shows, they never bought any of her newer material, and they only like the old Motown stuff that they played on the radio.
Teena Marie was more than Rick James' one-time girlfriend. She was more than Square Biz and she sure was more than Portuguese Love!
She wrote, produced, played, and arranged her own material. She wrote the #9 album of the greatest Heavy Metal albums...(emerald city), She was responsible for more than we would ever know or see!
So around 9 PM, my cousin calls me and says "I'm so depressed, Teena dead." and I said "You got to see her perform live right?" "Yeah", "You heard her new CD?" "Yeah" "then she did her job", she entertained us, with her heart and soul to the point of exhaustion in some shows and we got joy out of her being her.
How I feel now. Kinda sad. That we will never see that legally produced live DVD she was supposed to have had, or a live CD or a Christmas album. I feel the same way by listening to "Stop the World", because it is moving too fast. But we can't stop it, just lay in our empty bed of memories...
The next day Bernard Wilson from the Blue Notes passed...announced by the same radio station...this was verified within minutes by the other members of the group calling in.
I posted on my FB status on Sunday Night "Alia turned 19 yesterday, I'm waiting for the Rose LeBeau project to be released. Teena Marie, dead at 54 :("
I hope that people will now appreciate good music, and go and see those artists that they love, because nothing is guaranteed.
Jeanien
"
How i heard the news (BY Luci from new jersey)
I was sitting home Sunday night, with my FB page up. I happened to refresh the page, and the first thing I see at the top is someone's post: "Stop playin!!! Did Teena Marie really die?
I IMMEDIATELY dismissed it as another crappy "internet rumor" - but this time , I was PISSED because they were aiming at MY GURL! I started searching the internet, I also saw how Wikipedia put the dates in already (a few mins later, I noticed they removed it) - I have heard how truly UNRELIABLE they are, so I dismissed them too.?
I found NOTHING. I kept saying "here we go again, with these darn internet rumors, and the stupid media." I was READY to post on FB that this was INDEED a RUMOR. This COULDN'T be true and I WOULDN'T believe it.
I am a pretty calm and reserved person, but I was TICKED that this "rumor" would start at MY TEENA! I could not wrap my mind around it, and as I continued to search the internet for the truth (that this INDEED was a HOAX) I found something on WDAS website from Patty Jackson (I'm from the PA/NJ area).
I was still angry and in denial, so I lashed out on my FB status post: "Ok, this HAS TO BE another "internet death"!!! I KNOW I AM NOT HEARING THIS CORRECTLY!! (and yes, I'm yelling!)
Not Lady T. NO!" All the while, I'm saying to myself, "I know Patty wouldn't post no crazy mess like this without verifying it first..." Then I saw the update on her Twitter page. NOW, the sinking feeling was settling in, and I immediately felt this tension build in the center of my forehead, then an overwhelming sadness, as I started seeing more FB posts.
I rushed to turn on the radio, and I immediately heard her music and I could feel the tears building up - but I couldn't cry - I just felt a deep hurt. I just kept saying "NO!" as her music played. I just could not believe it - this was NOT happening! It just DIDN'T feel real to me, yet I knew that it was.
Butterball from WDAS kept breaking in, making the announcement again, and saying that Patty Jackson was on her way to the studio during the snowstorm we had here. I kept my radio on for the rest of the night. I blasted one of my favorites, "Dear Lover" in my house, and as it played on the radio, I sat listening, feeling the POWER of that song and her voice in my heart, and again struggling with the sadness of the reality that she was no longer here, and the tragedy behind it.
I felt the happiness of hearing her music clashing with the overwhelming sadness that was settling in. Again, my mind could NOT process it - I never thought I would be hearing those words - that she was gone - at this stage of my life. This DIDN'T feel right to me and my mind wouldn't accept it. I just felt deep, hurt.
In a sense, I am kind of thankful that I was home alone and not out with family and friends when I heard the news - because I truly would have been "thowed off" the rest of the night - and NO GOOD to NOBODY.
And the nice, calm "me" might have SNAPPED on somebody that night. I spent the rest of the night posting her music on FB and reaching out to others on FB who shared their sadness.
For the rest of the night, I switched between the two Old School/R&B stations in the Philly area, listening to people call in and share their memories of Teena, and request her songs.
It was good to hear people call in and request the NON-radio hits like "Have My Cake and Eat it Too"/"Irons in the Fire"/"You Make Love like Springtime"/"Miracles Need Wings to Fly" - but I wished they would have went even DEEPER to the other songs.
I was even surprised when someone called and requested "Shadow Boxing" and the woman passionately talked about how Teena would say, "Do I have to break it DOWWWWWWWWWN!" (in that beautiful high soprano voice of hers).
The lady kept repeating it to the guy, trying to reemphasize the DEPTH of her music. I was hoping the guy "got it" but he obviously had not heard that wonderful song (which he did verify after FINALLY finding it and playing it).
Somebody even requested "Where's California" (WHOA!) I said to myself, "Wow, some of these people have gone a little DEEPER into her music and didn't stop at the 'radio hits'...." Some of the songs even the radio guy didn't know - and people were actually telling HIM what CD they were on. I liked how THEY were schooling HIM. :) I have always loved how Phlly embraced Teena - and I think Lady B (from 107.9/Philly) - a close friend of Teena's, even mentioned that at one time, Teena was thinking about buying a house in the Philadelphia area, and how they were looking at houses in certain areas of the city..
Bottom line: My heart aches. My soul aches. There is a void. If I dwell on the thought too long, the sadness and disbelief come back. When I wake up in the morning, I hear the chorus to "Stop the World" in my head. When I go to bed at night, I try not to think about it because my mind gets flooded with thoughts about the tragic way in which she left this earth, and I start to feel the sadness and disbelief all over again. .
No one can replace her....she was family. I think if I didn't have this group, it would be hard to talk to others about what she and her music truly meant to me - I don't think they would "get it" and it would be unfair of me to put that expectation on them. I just know how I feel. She was a part of me and it feels like someone took a piece of me. Her music & lyrics are permanently etched in my heart, mind and soul forever, and I am grateful that I was able to be blessed by her gift while she was here.
Lady Tee Memorial Day 23rd jan 2011 (By Beth)
Hello to all my LADY T friends. I'm back home from the memorial now, and feel I should give you the insight of my day...... it was such a Lady T wonderful experience!
I'm playing Ivory, and every other CD, because I'm such a sentimental sap. :o)
It was a nice day at the Venice community park. Sunny, a little cool breeze, DJ was set up in the shade, music playing when we walked up.
First thing I noticed was groups of people spread out. Then I saw the "We Love You Teena" banner behind the DJ. I spotted a group that I figured was our beloved Lady T group. I saw them circled with arms interlocked and heads down, and it looked spiritual to me, and that was was where I should be. I know faces better than names and found Greg. We hugged and he reminded me of the times we met at concerts with Laura. He then led me to Jen. So nice to see you both of you again!
I then met Teena's God daughter Je'Ne Hearn. Such a lovely and sweet young lady. We spoke a moment, then hugged, and that's when my eye's started to water. She showed me to the table where her mother Mickey Boyce was sitting. Not wanting to intrude I gave her a friendly smile and nod. Still fighting back the tears.
Two ladies came up and asked if I knew Teena (what a shock) and I told them no but that I was such a big fan! They told me they went to school with her along with the Harley motorcycle group. So cool. That was a great photo op for my grandson (8 yrs old on a Harley). :o)
The guests speakers began... Spoken Word: by Dawn Haynes and Angela Estrada. Sweet and touching. Brenda Lee Eager sang "Somethin' Woke Me Up", and the crowd was raising their hands in praise, then applause. Then a message and song from Je'Ne Hearn, "His Eye Is On The Sparrow." Then another round of praise and applause!
It was such a nice day... all about our sweet Lady T! A very cool crowd, about 200 or so. Everyone was either a great fan or grew up with our Lady T. All day long, there was dancing and grooving, where they sat or on the grass. I'm so glad I did not miss this opportunity! My daughter and grandson had a great time too. So many I didn't meet, but still I left with the connection that we all share!
I know I can speak for all.... We Will Always Love and Miss You, Our Sweet Lady T!
Beth
THE LEGEND LIVES ON
...And the legend lives on, lives on to captivate, illuminate, substantiate the sound of Ivory Soul!
Teena Marie is such a legend. She came on the music & lyrical scene like a little fist of dynamite & she explodes her audiences into the arena of passion & playfulness.
Her voice is as seering & soulful as a million bright lights up in the sky...and I thank Miss Tee for sharing it all with us...WE LOVE YA, TEENA!!
written by dianna 6/07/2006
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