Teena Marie aka Lady T has passed away much too soon at age 54.
A gifted vocalist as well as songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist for thirty years, she stayed active until the end. She would occasionally do shows with her daughter Alia Rose who turned 19 only one day before finding her mother unresponsive in Teena Marie's home in Pasadena on Sunday December 26.
Teena Marie had returned to recording and performing full-time in 2009 after taking a long sabbatical to raise Alia Rose, now a budding talented singer in her own right who uses the name Rose Le Beau.
A frequent collaborator as well as an off/on romantic partner and friend of Rick James (1948-2004), she grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in West L.A. and once stated that she felt like "a black singer with white skin".
Below is the fab duet with Faith Evans "Can't Last A Day" from Teena Marie's 2009 album "Congo Square", a track that clearly demonstrates just how influential she was and continues to be on younger generations of R&B/funk/soul artists regardless of their race.
Mary C. Brockert: March 5, 1956 - December 26, 2010
R.I.P.
