When talking about the great family acts of the 1970s, names like the Jacksons, Tavares, The Sylvers and more come up. But no act of siblings celebrated their relationships in a #1 song quite like Sister Sledge. And Kim Sledge was an important part of the family harmony that helped make the group one of the defining vocal acts of the disco era.
Kim Sledge grew up in Philadelphia surrounded by music alongside sisters Debbie, Joni and Kathy. Their father, Edwin Sledge, was a Broadway tap dancer, while their mother, Florez, was an actress. Their grandmother, Viola Williams, was a trained opera singer who helped develop the girls’ voices. As youngsters, the sisters performed at church and community events under the name “Mrs. Williams’ Grandchildren,” giving Kim and her sisters an unusually early introduction to both harmony singing and the stage.
As teenagers in the early 1970s, the girls named themselves Sister Sledge and began recording professionally. Their early releases brought modest success, including “Love Don’t You Go Through No Changes on Me,” and they released the albums Circle of Love and Together.
The sisters’ career changed dramatically toward the end of the decade, when they were teamed with Chic leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The resulting 1979 album, We Are Family, became one of the defining R&B/disco recordings of its era. It included “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” “Lost in Music,” “Thinking of You” and the chart-topping title track, which became one of the great anthems of the disco era, and an enduring 1970s jam.
While Kathy Sledge handled many of the group’s most recognizable lead vocals, Kim was a key part of the tight family harmonies that gave Sister Sledge its distinctive sound. Her voice was woven into the group’s biggest recordings and helped create the vocal blend that separated Sister Sledge from many of its contemporaries.
Following up such a smash was difficult, but Sister Sledge continued to have hits for the next several years, including the Quiet Storm ballad “Next Time You’ll Know” and a Top 40 remake of Mary Wells’ “My Guy.”
Kathy Sledge later pursued a solo career, while Kim, Debbie and Joni continued performing under the Sister Sledge name. Kim also later stepped away from the group for a period to focus on her ministry and, in 2002, released the solo album Peaceful on her own Malaju Records label. She would later return to performing with Sister Sledge, remaining part of the family’s musical legacy for years to come.
While Sister Sledge’s time at the top was for a limited duration, there is no question that the group made a lasting impact on both R&B and dance music. And Kim Sledge’s contribution to the group’s signature harmonies helped make those recordings so memorable, as Sister Sledge’s hits continue to resonate nearly a half century after they first rocked our lives.
By Chris Rizik
