Sister Sledge
| Sister Sledge | |
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Kathy, Debbie, Kim and Joni Sledge in the 1980s
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1971–present |
| Website | sistersledge |
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| Past members |
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Sister Sledge is an American musical group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim and Kathy Sledge. Symbolizing strong family values, the siblings achieved international success at the height of the disco era.
The year 1979 saw the release of their breakthrough album We Are Family, which peaked at number three on the US Album Chart and went Platinum. The album included the 1979 single "We Are Family" which reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned them a Grammy Award nomination, together with two other 1979 top 20 international hits "He's the Greatest Dancer" and "Lost in Music".
Their other US hits include a 1982 cover of "My Guy", and other international hits include "Mama Never Told Me" (1975), "Thinking of You" (1984), before reaching number one on the UK Singles Chart with the song "Frankie" in 1985. Remixed versions of three of their singles in 1993 returned them to the UK Top 20.
Following Kathy's departure in 1989, the group then operated as a trio (with Kathy occasionally re-joining for one-off performances and several releases in the 1990s) until Joni's death in 2017. In 2015, Sister Sledge performed for Pope Francis at the World Festival of Families in Philadelphia.
Daughters of Broadway tap dancer Edwin Sledge (1923–1996) and actress Florez Sledge (1928–2007), Debbie Sledge (born July 9, 1954), Joni Sledge (September 13, 1956 – March 10, 2017), Kim Sledge (born August 21, 1957) and Kathy Sledge (born January 6, 1959) were given vocal training by their grandmother Viola Williams, a former lyric soprano opera singer and protégé of civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune. Under Viola’s guidance they regularly sang at their family church, Williams Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) until forming a band and performing at charity and political events throughout Philadelphia, aptly named ‘Mrs Williams’ Grandchildren’.
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