Percy Sledge

Percy Sledge was born in Leighton, Alabama on November 25, 1940. Growing up in rural Alabama, Sledge never imagined that a simple melody he constantly hummed would eventually lead to his first single and cement his place in music history. An instant classic considered to be one of the greatest soul ballads ever performed, “When a Man Loves a Woman”, made Sledge an international superstar and in 2005 earned him a place in the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame.

Growing up in an area populated by descendants of African American sharecroppers, Sledge spent much of his early years chopping and picking cotton. Like many singing legends, his singing career started in the church. However, unlike many R&B and soul artists, his music style was also heavily influenced by country and western, partly because it was the only music his radio could pick up in Leighton. In the early sixties, he worked as an orderly at Colbert County Hospital (now the Helen Keller Memorial Hospital in Sheffield) during the week and on the weekends he performed with a local singing group, the Esquire Combo. The group performed mainly in clubs and at fraternity parties. His childhood melody was the foundation for the group’s most popular song, even though the lyrics changed from venue to venue depending on the crowd.

In 1965, Sledge met and signed a contract with Quin Ivy, owner of Norala, a recording studio in Sheffield, Alabama. On February 17, 1966, Sledge had his first recording session with Ivy and guitarist Marlin Greene. Sledge’s melody that had always generated so much interest was finally being recorded. Intially, the song centered around the phrase “Why Did You Leave Me”. However, by the end of the session, the phrase had evolved into “When a Man Loves a Woman”. Atlantic Records picked up the record and released it in the spring of 1966. The song topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for two weeks and Billboard’s R&B charts for four weeks and remained in the Top 100 for 16 weeks. It became the first Atlantic single to be awarded gold status by the Recording Industry Association of America on July 15, 1966. Ironically, this wasn’t Sledge’s favorite song on his debut album, and he did not think it would be a hit.

Over the years, Sledge had multiple hit records including: “Warm and Tender Love”, “It Tears Me Up”, “Out of Left Field”, “Take Time to Know Her”, “Cover Me”, and “I’ll Be Your Everything.” In 1988, “When a Man Loves a Woman” was named one of the “Best 100 Singles of the Last 25 Years” by Rolling Stone magazine. In 1989, Sledge won the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Achievement Award, and in 1993, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame presented Sledge with its Lifework Award for Performing Achievement. Sledge moved to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1996, and resides there today with his wife, Rosa.