Sister Sledge
Sister Sledge is an American soul and funk singing duo from Philadelphia , Pennsylvania . Sister Sledge first became famous as a quartet, consisting of the sisters Kim, Debbie, Joni and Kathy, who left the group as lead singer for a solo career in 1989. Joni passed away in March 2017.
biography
At the beginning of their joint careers, the sisters sang gospel . They initially gave themselves the band name "Mrs." in reference to the existence of their grandmother Viola Williams as an opera star. Williams Grandchildren ”and performed at various parties. In the early 1970s the name was changed to "Sister Sledge". The first singles of the girl group were Time Will Tell (1971) and The Weatherman (1973).
In 1975 the band had their first hit parade listing with Love Don't You Go Through No Changes on Me ( US # 94) and Mama Never Told Me ( UK # 20). Towards the end of the 1970s, Sister Sledge, together with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards from Chic, created a new style that combined disco , funk and soul elements.
At the beginning of 1979 the single He's the Greatest Dancer made it into the top 10 in England (6th place) and the USA (9th place) for the first time. An even greater success was only two months later the song We Are Family , which, in addition to placements in the top 10 of the UK (5th place) and US charts (2nd place), also in Switzerland (6th place) and in Germany ( 26) Climbed the charts. The single Lost in Music , which followed in the summer, climbed to number 4 in England and number 18 in Germany.
Up to and including 1984, the quartet released a large number of other singles, four of which were able to place in the American and / or English charts. B. Thinking of You ranked 11th in the UK in 1984. 1985 saw another worldwide success with Frankie and for the first time a number one hit in England. The single also rose to number 13 in Germany , to number 27 in Austria , where it is the only chart hit to date, and to number 75 in the USA. That same summer, the group had a small hit in Dancing on the Jagged Edge the UK charts (number 50).
In addition to their own record productions , Sister Sledge also worked as a studio choir for other artists such as Elton John . Kathy Sledge left the group in 1989 and began a solo career in 1992. Sister Sledge continued as a trio . With a remix of Lost in Music , which reached number 56 in Germany, it entered a hit parade for the last time in 2003. The group performed in 2015 at a concert for Pope Francis and had their last appearance as a trio in October 2016. After Joni's death, Sister Sledge only appears as a duo, sometimes supported by daughters.
Members
- Debbie Sledge (born July 9, 1954 ) - vocals
- Joni Sledge (born September 13, 1956 - found dead March 10, 2017 ) - vocals
- Kim Sledge (born August 21, 1957 ) - vocals
- Kathy Sledge (born January 6, 1959 ) - vocals (until 1989)
Discography
Studio albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | R&B | |||
1975 | Circle of Love | - | - |
R&B56 (3 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1975
Producers: Bert DeCoteaux, Tony Silvester |
1979 | We are family |
UK7th
gold
(39 weeks)UK |
US3
platinum
(33 weeks)US |
R&B1 (34 weeks) R&B |
|
1980 | Love Somebody Today | - |
US31 (15 weeks) US |
R&B7 (19 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1980
Producers: Bernard Edwards, Nile Rodgers |
1981 | All American girls | - |
US42 (29 weeks) US |
R&B13 (25 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1981
Producer: Narada Michael Walden |
1982 | The Sisters | - |
US69 (14 weeks) US |
R&B17 (16 weeks) R&B |
First published: February 1982
Producer: Sister Sledge |
1983 | Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls | - |
US169 (8 weeks) US |
R&B35 (17 weeks) R&B |
First published: May 1983
Producers: George Duke , Cheryl R. Brown |
1985 | When the Boys Meet the Girls |
UK19th
silver
(11 weeks)UK |
- |
R&B52 (6 weeks) R&B |
First published: June 1985
Producer: Nile Rodgers |
More studio albums
- 1977: Together
- 1992: And Now ... Sledge ... Again
- 1993: Lost in Music
- 1998: African Eyes
- 2003: Style
Cover versions of Sister Sledge songs
- 1990: All The Man That I Need - Whitney Houston ( # 1 in the US charts )
- 1993: Lost in Music - The Fall
- 1995: We Are Family - Babes in Toyland
- 1998: We Are Family - Spice Girls
- 1999: Thinking of You - Monday Michiru
- 2004: Thinking of You - Paul Weller
swell
- ↑ a b Joni Sledge, member of the group Sister Sledge, dies aged 60 , in: The Guardian , March 12, 2017, accessed March 12, 2017
- ↑ gala.de: Mourning for soul singer
- ↑ Chart sources: DE UK US
- ^ Joel Whitburn : Top R&B Albums 1965–1998, ISBN 0-89820-134-9 .
Web links
- Official website (English)
- Sister Sledge at Allmusic (English)
- Sister Sledge at Discogs (English)
- sistersledge.nl
- Biography at Taurus Press
- Discography at austriancharts.at