Percy Sledge, che conquistò la fama mondiale nel 1966 col brano "When a Man Loves a Woman", ha perso la sua battaglia contro il cancro ed è morto martedì nella sua casa di Baton Rouge, capitale della Louisiana. Aveva 73 anni.
Notato per le sue esibizioni nel coro scolastico, viene contattato tempo dopo dal responsabile musicale dell'istituto, che gli chiede di sostituire il cantante degli Esquires.
Allora 25enne, il giovanotto accetta la proposta, più per risolvere i suoi problemi finanziari che per ambizione, ma sfonda immediatamente. Successi simili non si ripeteranno più, ma piazzerà ancora diversi titoli in classifica fino al 1969. Malato, diraderà la sua presenza sulle scene, ma importanti riconoscimenti seguiranno fino alla conquista, nel 1996, del "W.C. Handy Blues Award" per il miglior disco dell'anno nella categoria soul/blues.
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