Lovergirl:Teena Marie passes

Teena Marie, a protege of Buffalo's Rick James, was found dead in her Pasadena home yesterday. Her death appears to be from natural causes. She was only 54. Called the Ivory Queen of Soul, Teena Marie was revered as an R&B artist, despite being white and was one of only a handful of white artists signed to the Motown Label. But it wasn't until after her split with Motown in 1982 that she had her biggest crossover hit, Lovergirl. The song reached the Billboard Top 10 in 1985, peaking at #4.

Teena Marie's last album, "Congo Square," was titled after a historical meeting place for slaves in New Orleans, featured a tribute to Martin Luther King's widow and also song "Black Cool," written for President Barack Obama.

Teena Marie Obit