The legendary blue-eyed soul singer Teena Marie has passed away.
Rumors began circulating on Twitter earlier in the evening that were fueled by Ron Isley who tweeted “Sorry guys, yes Teena Marie has passed away..”
Teena Marie gained fame in the late 70s when she signed to Motown and released a string of hit R&B singles throughout the 80s such as “Square Biz,” “I Need Your Lovin’,” “Lovergirl,” and “Portuguese Love.” She was discovered by Rick James, who produced her first album, Wild And Peaceful, in 1979.
James and Marie recorded the classic duet “Fire & Desire” in 1981 for James’ Street Songs album. The song was famously used in an episode of “Martin” in the 90s.
As of press time, no official statement has been released confirming Teena Marie’s death.
Stay tuned for updates.
UPDATE:
Roland S Martin, analyst for TV One, tweeted that he spoke to Teena’s manager, Mike Gardner, who confirmed that Teena passed today.
Sheila E tweeted that her daughter found her in her bedroom, and that she had been having seizures earlier in the day.
We will continue to update this story as more info is made available.
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