Soul Singer Teena Marie Dies at 54
Teena Marie, aka the “Ivory Queen of Soul,” has passed away at the age of 54. The soul songstress, known for songs such as “Lovergirl,” “Square Biz,” and “Fire and Desire,” was found dead at her California home on Sunday (Dec. 26).
Marie’s manager, Mike Gardner, confirmed her death to CNN. While the cause of death is currently unknown, a rep for the singer tells the network that Marie suffered a grand mal seizure a month ago.
The four-time Grammy nominee, born Mary Brockert, was Motown’s first white female act and the protégé of the late Rick James. She made her debut in 1979 with the album Wild and Peaceful and went on to release 13 studio albums throughout her career. Widely embraced by the African-American audience, she issued two albums through Cash Money Classics, with her most recent studio effort Congo Square arriving in June 2009.
Marie is survived by her 19-year-old daughter Alia Rose, who discovered her mother in bed after apparently dying in her sleep.
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