One listening of Percy's latest album, "Blue Night," a Pointblank Records release, reveals that the ensuing years have brought his singular voice and delicate expressiveness to new heights. The innocence and nostalgic appeal of "When A Man Loves A Woman" is likewise captured on his newest effort.

Percy was born on November 25, 1940, not far from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. While in his mid-teens, he began performing at local parties and dances in and around his hometown. At age 20, he joined the Esquires Combo, a group which became well known in the Mississippi-Alabama area.

Five years later, at the suggestion of a friend, Percy contacted Quinn Ivy, a DJ and record producer. After auditioning for Ivy, Percy was offered a recording session at the Norala Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. The result was "When A Man Loves A Woman." And thus began Percy Sledge's solo career. Released in 1966, "When A Man Loves A Woman" went straight to the top of the charts, followed by "It Tears Me Up," "Warm And Tender Love," and "Take Time To Know Her." Over the course of his career, Percy went on to accumulate 5 gold and 2 platinum albums.

Percy's career saw a revival in 1987 when Oliver Stone included "When A Man Loves A Woman" on the soundtrack of his Academy Award-winning film, "Platoon." The song was subsequently re-released in Europe and, again, topped the charts in England. In the United States, he was featured on "Saturday Night Live" and "Entertainment Tonight," and the song's video received extensive airplay on MTV.

In 1989, the R&B Foundation chose Percy to be one of the recipients for the association's first Career Achievement Awards, dedicated to artists who have made lifelong contributions to the development of rhythm and blues.

Now at 54, Percy has just finished the production of Blue Night, which mixes new material with such classics as The Temptations' "I Wish it Would Rain" (performed as a duet with Swedish star Mikael Rickfors) and Otis Redding's "I've Got Dreams To Remember."

As for Percy, returning to the studio was "like magic." "Recording with producers like Barry Goldberg and Saul Davis and playing with musicians that I have admired for so many years was one of the most exciting things I've ever done. It was wonderful! And I've learned a lot about my voice since the last time I made an album so it was pure joy to be in there singing again."

The pictures below were taken at the 2000 Aiken Co-op Annual Meeting. Percy's backup band, The Blues Masters, are pictured below, too. They were outstanding and provided the entertainment after Percy's show.

 Bottom line. You've got to see Percy Sledge in person. Click here for his current concert schedule. He is as humble as he is great. His fans number in the millions and you will instantly become one, too. Visit their website and book the ledgendary Percy Sledge today. At his site you can join his fan club, check his schedule or order collectible Percy Sledge merchandise.