CONTROL: How to Gain and keep Power in Your Relationship

TheodoreIf you don't know me by Now.Theodore Dereese began his career as the drummer in Harold Melvin’s band before exchanging the drum riser for the microphone, his importance in the band cemented by stellar performances on songs like ‘Wake Up Everybody’, something that eventually caused friction in a band that, confusingly, bore someone else’s name. After scoring a No 1 hit with the first song they ever wrote, The O’Jays’ ‘BackStabbers’, Gene McFadden and John Whitehead were assigned the task of writing and producing for Harold Melvin.“Working with them was a challenge,” recalled Whitehead, “because most of The Blue Notes couldn’t sing. When we cut a record, me, McFadden, Gamble and Huff would be The Blue Notes. We would sing all the backgrounds in the studio, like a Milli Vanilli kind of a thing. Only Harold and Theodore sang their own parts.”Despite scoring another Top 20 hit with ‘Wake Up Everybody’, Theodore didn't get along with group leader Melvin, whose financially careless treatment of the rest of the band rankled. Pleas from Gamble and Huff not to upset the winning formula were ignored by an impetuous Theodore who announced that he was pursuing a solo career.Theodore and Harold Melvin were at odds, mainly over financial issues and personality conflicts. Despite the fact that Theodore sang most of the group's songs, Melvin was controlling the group's finances. At one point, Theodore wanted the group to be renamed "Teddy and the Blue Notes" because fans kept mistaking him for Melvin. Theodore left the group in 1975, and the Blue Notes struggled with his replacements because they was dependent on him for their success.Broke and alone Theodore struggle to find work, thats when he met Mayia .She was very popular with the big celebrities.Theodore fell head over heels in love with her. He moved into her home because he was broke and she was very wealthy.Soon after moving in Theodore signed an agreement which allowed Mayia to manage him. It was a very one sided contract, it was in the favor of Mayia. The contr