TEENA MARIE DEAD AT THE AGE OF 54!

TMZ: Grammy nominated singer Teena Marie -- once known as Rick James' protégée -- died in her sleep last night at the age of 54 ... TMZ has confirmed with Teena's rep Lynn Jeter.


So far it's unclear what caused the singer's death.
Marie was nominated for a Grammy four times ... her first top ten hit was "I'm Just a Sucker for Your Love."
Story developing...

CNN reports that Marie's manager said Marie's daughter found her dead in her home today, and that she suffered a seizure last month. 

RadioFacts.com was the first to report the news; they sent along the link toPhiladelphia radio station WDAS.

Born Marie Christine Brockert, Teena Marie rose to prominence in the late 70s and 80s, striking a musical and personal partnership with funk legend Rick James. She released 13 studio albums, six of which went platinum on the US R&B chart. Two of her albums went platinum, and six altogether were gold.

Marie's biggest hit came in 1984 with her single 'Lovergirl,' which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.