R&B icon Teddy Pendergrass has passed on.

A close family friend confirmed to the BV Newswire that the ailing crooner died tonight.

The cause of death is unknown and details are pending at presstime.

He was 59. Teddy Pendergrass

Last summer, buzz started brewing that the 'Love T.K.O.' singer was on his deathbed.

At the time, the Grammy Award-nominated singer-songwriter was hospitalized at Philadelphia's Bryn Mawr Hospital for about a month, and the nature of his illness was not publicly known. He and his new wife, Joan, addressed the rumors and expressed gratitude to his loyal legion of fans for their support.

"I wish to thank my fans for their prayers, concerns and love," Pendergrass disclosed in a statement. "While I have faced recent health challenges, I am in the care of my wonderful doctors, wife Joan and family."

"We ask at this time that you respect our privacy," the statement continued. "Do know that I'm looking forward to continuing my work at the Teddy Pendergrass Alliance to help people with spinal cord injuries."

Since becoming quadriplegic following a horrific 1982 car accident, the Kingstree, South Carolina native (real name: Theodore DeReese Pendergrass) was actively involved in improving the lives of others suffering spinal cord injuries through the Spinal Cord Injury Association.

The former Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes front man celebrated his successful music career in 2007 at "Teddy 25."

Pendergrass' career began as a drummer for The Cadillacs, which soon became Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Though the Philadelphia-based R&B group was named after Melvin, Pendergrass emerged as the lead singer reportedly after he jumped from the rear of a stage and started belting out a song. The outfit was signed with Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff's CBS subsidiary Philadelphia International Records in 1972.

The Blue Notes enjoyed a string of hits such as 'I Miss You,' 'Bad Luck,' 'Wake Up Everybody,' and their biggest hit 'If You Don't Know Me By Now,' which was later recorded by labelmate Patti LaBelle.

Personality conflicts arose between Melvin and Pendergrass, and a solo career was launched.

Hit songs such as 'The More I Get the More I Want,' 'Close the Door,' 'I Don't Love You Anymore,' 'Turn Off the Lights' and 'Love T.K.O.' remain R&B staples.

Pendergrass performed a duet with Whitney Houston on 'Hold Me' on her groundbreaking self-titled debut album in 1985.