White was born in
Pensacola, Florida, on March 25, 1931. He was described in 1968 as a dabbler in Detroit real estate and
wheeler-dealer. After a few weeks of dating, they were married by a
justice of the peace while touring Ohio in 1961, when Franklin was 19 and White was 30. Franklin's father,
C.L. Franklin, opposed the union. White was described as a pimp by
Motown producer
Harvey Fuqua. White was
abusive during their marriage, having abused Franklin publicly at Atlanta's
Regency Hyatt House Hotel. Gospel singer
Mahalia Jackson said the Regency incident was not the first in which White was violent toward Franklin. In December 1969, White shot Charles Cook, younger brother of musician
Sam Cooke, in the
groin at Franklin's Detroit home during Cook's visit with Franklin. White and Franklin's divorce was finalized in 1969. He spent holidays and weekends with his mother in Detroit. He played guitar for his mother before becoming a singer-songwriter, under the name Teddy Richards. == Songwriting credits ==