Percy Sledge (born November 25, 1940) is an American R&B and soul performer who most notably recorded the single "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966, an international top 40 hit that the RIAA has certified as gold. Having previously worked as a hospital nurse in the early 60s, he achieved his best success in the mid to late 60s and early 70s with a series of emotional soul songs, in his later years receiving the Rhythm and Blues Foundation's Career Achievement Award.