Percy Sledge began his career in his mid-teens by performing at dance parties around his hometown in northern Alabama. By age twenty, he had joined the Esquires Combo and performed throughout the Southeast while still working full-time as a hospital orderly at Colbert County Hospital in Sheffield. In 1965, Sledge auditioned for DJ-turned-producer Quinn Ivy, who signed him to a recording contract.

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That studio time led to a succession of hits, including “When a Man Loves a Woman” — the first gold record ever released by Atlantic Records — and “A Whiter Shade of Pale.” “When a Man Loves a Woman” shot to the top of the charts in 1966 and became his signature song. He followed it with other memorable singles such as “It Tears Me Up,” “Warm and Tender Love,” and “Take Time to Know Her.” In the 1970s, “I’ll Be Your Everything” and “Sunshine” also charted.

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Most of Sledge’s life was spent in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. His career saw a major resurgence in 1987 when “When a Man Loves a Woman” appeared in the Academy Award–winning film Platoon, returning the song to the charts and leading to appearances on Saturday Night Live and Entertainment Tonight. His 1994 album Blue Night — featuring Steve Cropper, Bobby Womack, and Mick Taylor — earned a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

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Sledge remained a popular international touring artist for decades, performing extensively in Europe, Africa, and Asia, at one point averaging nearly 100 shows a year. Over his career he earned five gold albums, two platinum albums, and in 1994 entered a tax-evasion plea that resulted in probation and restitution. He was the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s first recipient of the Career Achievement Award and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

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