What was Teena Marie's Net Worth?
Teena Marie was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer who had a net worth of $3 million. Known for her work in the R&B and soul genres, Teena Marie released 14 studio albums between 1979 and 2013 and had such hit songs as "Behind the Groove," "I Need Your Lovin'," "Square Biz," "Lovergirl," and "Ooo La La La." Teena Marie frequently collaborated with fellow singer-songwriter Rick James during her career.
Early Life and Education
Teena Marie, whose real name was Mary Christine Brockert, was born on March 5, 1956 in Santa Monica, California to home renovator Mary Anne and construction worker Thomas. She began singing at an early age, and later she taught herself how to play the guitar, bass, and congas. With her younger brother Anthony and their cousin, Brockert, formed an R&B group. The family moved to the Venice area of Los Angeles in the early 1970s, and settled in the historically African-American enclave of Oakwood. There, Brockert was heavily influenced by Berthalynn Jackson, who became her godmother. As a student at Venice High School, Brockert starred in a production of "The Music Man" and fronted a local rock band. After graduating, she studied English literature at Santa Monica College.
1985-Funk/soul singer Teena Marie is shown in a close-up studio portrait. (Photo by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Rise to Fame at Motown Records
In 1976, Brockert met Motown Records executives Hal Davis and Berry Gordy, who signed her as a solo act. She recorded unreleased material over the subsequent years until she became acquainted with Motown label mate Rick James, who decided to collaborate with her. Their collaboration resulted in the 1979 album "Wild and Peaceful," on which Brockert was credited for the first time under her stage name Teena Marie. The album spawned her first top-ten R&B single, a duet with James called "I'm a Sucker for Your Love." Teena Marie released her second album, "Lady T," in early 1980; it included the successful single "Behind the Groove." That summer, she released her third album, "Irons in the Fire," which launched the hit single "I Need Your Lovin'."
Teena Marie had her biggest commercial success yet with her fourth album, 1981's "It Must Be Magic," which featured her hit single "Square Biz" and was certified Gold by the RIAA. For the album, she earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. However, after her many successes at Motown, Teena Marie became involved in a legal battle with the label in 1982. She filed a lawsuit over her contract terms that resulted in the so-called Brockert Initiative, which rendered it illegal for a record company to hold an artist under contract without releasing new material by the artist. Teena Marie subsequently left Motown; at the time, she was the label's most successful white solo act.
Epic Records
In late 1982, Teena Marie signed with Epic Records. Her first album for the label, "Robbery," was released the following year; it was unable to recapture the commercial success of her previous albums at Motown. Teena Marie fared much better with her next album, 1984's "Starchild," which became the best-selling album of her career. It included her biggest hit song, "Lovergirl," which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance.
In 1986, Teena Marie had a change of pace with her seventh studio album, the rock-influenced concept album "Emerald City." The direction of the album baffled fans and critics, leading to a poor commercial performance. Teena Marie returned to her signature R&B sound for her 1988 album "Naked to the World," which received much better reviews. The album included one of her biggest chart hits, "Ooo La La La," which became her only single to top the Hot Black Singles chart. Teena Marie released her last album for Epic Records, "Ivory," in 1990.
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Further Recording Career
Following a four-year hiatus, Teena Marie released her tenth studio album, "Passion Play," on her independent label Sarai Records in 1994. In the years after that, she stepped away from the music industry to focus on raising her daughter. After a ten-year hiatus, Teena Marie returned in 2004 with the album "La Doña," released by Cash Money Records. It was a big hit, reaching number six on the Billboard 200 and number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, and earning Teena Marie her third Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, for the song "Still in Love." Teena Marie released her next studio album, "Sapphire," in 2006. She then left Cash Money Records. In 2009, Teena Marie released the album "Congo Square," which peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It was the last studio album released before her death, but her 14th and final studio album, "Beautiful," was released posthumously in early 2013.
Personal Life and Death
On Christmas Day in 1991, Teena Marie gave birth to her daughter Alia Rose. The father was a man named Peter Butcher. Alia Rose went on to become a singer like her mother, and even duetted with her mother during live shows. Teena Marie was also the godmother to Minnie Riperton's daughter Maya Rudolph and Marvin Gaye's daughter Nona.
On December 26, 2010, Teena Marie's daughter found her mother lifeless in her home in Pasadena, California. No discernible cause of death was discovered, although Teena Marie had suffered a seizure the previous month related to an ongoing condition. A memorial service attended by many of her colleagues was held at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in early 2011.
A year after her death, Tina's home in Pasadena, California, was sold for $1.2 million.