Percy Sledge, the American R&B and Soul singer who gave the world ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ has died from liver cancer in Louisiana at the age of 74.
Sledge was 23 years old when he released his first song ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ on April 16, 1966. The song was recorded just eight weeks earlier on February 17, 1966 at Norala Studios in Sheffield, Alabama.
‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ was covered many times including by Bette Midler for the movie ‘The Rose’, Jimmy Barnes for his live album ‘Barnestorming’ and Michael Bolton who had the most recent number one with the song in 1991.
Percy Sledge was born in Leighton, Alabama on November 25, 1940. He was working as an orderly at the Colbert Hospital in Sheffield when he was introduced to producer Quin Ivy by a former patient. He auditioned for Ivy, signed to a recording contract and ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’ became a worldwide hit selling millions of copies around the world. The song reached no. 3 in Australia in 1966.
Sledge was married twice and had 12 children. He married his second wife Rosa in 1980.
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