Sister Sledge is an American musical vocal group from Philadelphia. Formed in 1971, the group consisted of sisters Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge. The sisters 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 until forming a band and performing at charity and political events throughout Philadelphia, aptly named Mrs Williams’ Grandchildren.
The group toured much of the East Coast, including New York, New Jersey, and home town Philadelphia with Florez acting as their manager (and tour bus driver) and Debbie as musical director. They released their first single “Time Will Tell” in 1971 on local music label Money Back. In 1973, they released the single “Mama Never Told Me”, which became a top-20 hit in the UK in 1975. Sister Sledge’s first album, Cicrcle of Love, was released by ATCO in 1975.
At something of a crossroads in their careers, the future seemed a little uncertain for the group, but Atlantic Records connected them with producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of the band Chic, and the situation changed. After some initial challenges to working collaboratively, the breakthrough album We Are Family was recorded and released by Cotillion in January 1979. The lead single “He’s the Greatest Dancer” charted at number one R&B and was a Top 10 Pop crossover smash, peaking at No.9. In 1979.
The record’s anthemic title track “We Are Family” followed and became a worldwide smash charting at number two pop and number one R&B. The song and group were nominated for a Grammy Award and “We Are Family” was adopted as the official anthem for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who went on to win the World Series that year. Sister Sledge was duly invited to perform the national anthem at the opening game in front of 45,000 fans.
The album was certified platinum by the RIAA and produced two more classic disco singles, “Lost in Music” and “Thinking of You”. Around this time, Debbie Sledge went on maternity leave and the eldest sister, Carol, filled in for her. They were named Billboard Best New Artists. In 1980, their follow-up album Love Somebody Today (also written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards) was released. The lead single “Love Somebody Today” scored moderately well, charting at number six on the R&B and number 64 on the pop charts. An extensive three-year live tour began and the quartet performed sold-out shows all over the world.
The album Bet Cha Say That to All the Girls was released in 1983, the lead single from which featured American Jazz singer Al Jarreau. The group experienced renewed success in 1984, when Atlantic Records belatedly released “Thinking of You” followed by a Nile Rodgers remix of “Lost in Music” in the UK, the latter peaking at number four. The following year, they released their seventh studio album When the Boys Meet The Girls and continued success in the UK. Released by Atlantic Records, lead single “Frankie” hit the top spot on the UK Singles Chart, spending four weeks at number one.
