AP Photo/Matt Rourke; Lisa Lake/Getty ImagesLife is a song worth singing, and his was a life worth celebrating.
Hundreds of Teddy Pendergrass fans gathered together at Philadelphia's Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church to pay final respects to the late R&B singer, who passed away Jan. 13 from colon cancer at age 59.
The assembly of mostly middle-aged mourners—many of them humming such classic Pendergrass tunes as "Teddy" and "If You Don't Know Me by Now"—lined up to view the open casket.
"He sang from the heart. He could captivate an audience," longtime fan Deedra Osborne told the Philadelphia Inquirer. "And yes, I did throw my underwear on the stage when he performed. I'm here to celebrate his life. I've got a decade and a half of his music etched on my soul."
Pendergrass's funeral, scheduled for Saturday morning, will feature performances by a gospel choir and is open to the public. Afterwards, the silky smooth crooner's friends and family will have a private viewing followed by interment.
Teddy, you'll be missed.
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Pay tribute to the other celebs who departed in recent months in our Fallen Stars gallery.