"Sister Sledge" are an American musical group of the Disco Music genre, founded in Philadelphia in 1971. The band was composed of four sisters born in Philadelphia and daughters of the dancer Edwin Sledge and of the actress Florez Williams Sledge. Debra “Debbie” Sledge (born 1954), Joan Elise “Joni” Sledge (born 1956), Kim Sledge (born 1957), and Kathy Sledge (born 1959) received vocal training from their maternal grandmother Viola Williams, a former opera singer. The four sisters began singing in the choirs of their family church, Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal, and graduated from Olney High School. By the end of the 1970s, all four sisters had graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia. Sister Sledge released their first single "Time Will Tell" in 1971 on the local music label Money Back. In 1973 they released the single "Mama Never Told Me" and in 1975 their first album "Circle of Love" was released, released by "ATCO" (label owned by "Atlantic Records"). The turning point came a few years later when "Atlantic Records" put "Sister Sledge" in touch with producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band "Chic". In 1979, Rodgers and Edwards worked with Sister Sledge on the songwriting and lyrics for their third studio album We Are Family. Released on January 22, 1979 in the US and April 30, 1979 in the UK, that masterpiece album included four hugely successful singles: “We Are Family”, “He's the Greatest Dancer”, “Lost in Music” and " Thinking of You". The album peaked at number one on the Top R&B Albums chart and peaked at number three on the Billboard 100, making it the band's most commercially successful album. The lead vocals for "We Are Family" were recorded in one take by then 19-year-old Kathy Sledge. "He's the Greatest Dancer" which was originally intended to be sung by the band "Chic", was the first single from the album and became the group's first big hit, reaching the top 10 of the "Billboard Hot 100" and number one on the R&B chart. In 1980 their follow-up album "Love Somebody Today" (written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards) was released and the lead single "Got To Love Somebody" reached #6 on the US R&B charts. In 1981, Sister Sledge worked with Narada Michael Walden, who produced their fifth studio album All American Girls. The title single to the album reached number three on the R&B charts. In 1983, the group released the album "Bet Cha Say That To All The Girls" and in 1985 they regained the number one position in the UK with the single "Frankie". In that same year, "Sister Sledge" left the record label "Atlantic Records" and the sisters concentrated on their live activity. Joni Sledge, born September 13, 1956, died of natural causes at her home in Phoenix, Arizona on March 10, 2017 at the age of 60.
Album
1975 - Circle Of Love
1977 - Together
1979 - We Are Family
1980 - Love Somebody Today
1981 - All American Girls
1981 - The Sisters
1982 - Las Hermanas
1983 - Bet Cha Say That To All The Girls
1985 - When The Boys Meet The Girls
1992 - And Now....Sledge...Again
1993 - Lost In Music
1998 - African Eyes
2003 - Style
Singles
1971 - Time Will Tell
1973 - The Weatherman
1973 - Mama Never Told Me
1974 - Love Don't You Go Throught No Changes On Me
1975 - Circle Of Love (Caught In The Middle)
1975 - Love Has Found Me
1975 - Pain Reliever / Cross My Heart
1976 - Cream Of The Crop
1976 - Thank You For Today / Have Love, Will Travel
1977 - Baby, It's The Rain
1977 - Blockbuster Boy
1977 - As
1978 - I've Seen Better Days / Do It To The Max
1978 - He's The Greatest Dancer
1979 - We Are Family
1979 - Lost In Music
1979 - Got To Love Somebody
1980 - Reach Your Peak
1980 - Let's Go On Vacation
1980 - Easy Street
1980 - Pretty Baby
1981 - If You Really Want Me
1981 - He's Just A Runaway
1981 - Next Time You'll Know
1981 - All American Girls
1982 - Super Bad Sisters
1982 - All The Man I Need
1982 - My Guy
1983 - Gotta Get Black To Love
1983 - B.Y.O.B (Bring Your Own Baby)
1983 - Let Him Go
1983 - Thank You For The Party
1985 - You're Fine
1985 - Dancing On THe Jagged Edge
1985 - Frankie
1985 - When The Boys Meet The Girls
1986 - Here To Stay (Playing For Keeps Anthem)
1986 - Aqui Nos Quedamos
1992 - Word, Rise & Shine
1994 - Get A Life
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