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Percy Sledge celebrates his 70th birthday today (or 69th according to some sources). The soul legend was born in Leighton, Alabama on November 25, 1940. Sledge is best known for his single “When a Man Loves a Woman”, which topped the charts in the US and Canada in 1966 and has become one of the best loved songs of the era.

“When a Man Loves a Woman” evolved over years, with Sledge claiming that he had been humming the melody most of his life. It began to develop into the song we all know after his girlfriend left him and he improvised words over the melody during a live show.

Percy Sledge – “When a Man Loves a Woman”

Chart success was hard to come by for Sledge after the heights of “When a Man Loves a Woman.” He did manage top 20 places in the US with “Warm and Tender Love”, “It Tears Me Up” and “Take Time to Know Her. He also cut four albums for Atlantic, which can be picked up now on 2-for-1 albums – “When a Man Loves a Woman”/”Warm and Tender Soul” and “The Percy Sledge Way”/”Take Time and Know Her.” This is a sensible way of obtaining Sledge’s songs, as he did later re-record many and some compilations do not feature the originals.

Although Sledge’s chart career was short-lived, he was a popular live artist around the world. There was also an unexpected number two hit in the UK with his signature tune “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1987, following its appearance in a Levi’s commercial.

There was more to come from Percy Sledge, as 1995 saw the release of the Grammy-nominated “Blue Night” album, which also picked up a W.C. Handy award for Best Soul/Blues album.

Never the most prolific of recording artists, it was another decade before the release of his next album “Shining Through the Rain.” The album featured tracks written by artists such as Steve Earle, Jackie Lomax and the Bee Gees.

Percy Sledge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.

Happy Birthday Percy Sledge.