The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Rythm and Blues singer Percy Sledge died today in Baton Rouge at the age of 73 according to his agent.

Sledge, who was an Alabama native, was most known for his classic 1966 number one hit "When a Man Loves a Woman", died after a kengthy battle with cancer. Sledge has been singing for the past 50 years, up until 2013 with the release of "The Gospel of Percy Sledge."

He was well known in Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana for playing concerts in the late 70's and early 80's in local clubs such as The Circle Club and The Texas Pelican.

Some of his other well known hits incude "Warm and Tender Love, " "Out of Left Field" and "Take Time to Know Her."

"When a Man Loves a Woman" was inspired by true life events about a girl who left him for another another guy.

In 1989, Sledge earned the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Career Achievement Award and in 2005, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.