Kathy Sledge was the voice behind Sister Sledge’s anthem We Are Family. Now, ahead of a UK concert, she lifts the lid on legal wrangles over the name and brand
Feted as the voice behind Sister Sledge’s global anthem We Are Family, as Kathy Sledge prepares to take the stage in London next week, she reflects candidly on growing up in a famous musical family.
Formed in the early 1970s when Kathy was aged 11, Sister Sledge became one of the most successful female acts of all time, selling millions of records worldwide and creating a catalogue of songs that continue to resonate across generations.
But success has brought its challenges, like the years of legal disputes over the Sister Sledge name and brand. The wrangling has tested previously unbreakable family bonds.
Kathy says: “It was very challenging. We were the family that brought the world together through a song, at the risk of almost losing our own [bond]. But we didn’t lose our own. There were growing pains, and it’s often in the valleys that you grow.
“I was never fighting my sisters. I was fighting for my right to sing. Our song is We Are Family, so people expected us to be the perfect family. The truth is we were a real family, with real challenges. We grew up under a magnifying glass. Did we have our differences? Of course. Is it behind me? Yes. What’s more important is where we’re going from here.”
Kathy’s next chapter includes a highly anticipated performance at London’s iconic Koko, formerly Camden Palace. On Friday night, she will perform a special one-off concert, featuring many of the songs that helped make Sister Sledge a household name, including He’s The Greatest Dancer, Lost in Music, Thinking of You and, naturally, We Are Family.
She says: “I’m so excited. Everyone I talk to tells me what an incredible venue Koko is. So many legendary artists have performed there, and it’s an honour to be part of that history. What I love most is that it’s intimate. I perform a lot of festivals, but this is a chance to connect with people in a much more personal way.”
Joined by a cast of backing singers and dancers, Kathy says: “What matters most to me is delivering these songs authentically and sharing them with audiences who have loved them for generations. The show celebrates everything Sister Sledge brought to the world. We helped pioneer the combination of choreography, energy and empowerment that influenced so many great female groups who came after us, from TLC and Destiny’s Child to the Spice Girls. We made a real mark on music history, and I think people appreciate that I’m continuing to honour that legacy.”
Born in Philadelphia, Kathy grew up alongside her sisters Carol, Debbie, Joni and Kim, raised by their mother Florez. Their maternal grandmother was an opera singe, who inspired the girls’ love of performance. But Kathy’s mother worked multiple jobs to support the family, and they faced racial discrimination after becoming one of the first black families to move into a predominantly white neighbourhood.
Kathy, 67, says: “There were cross burnings. At times we had police protection while walking to school. I think all of that became part of our story and part of why we became so close as sisters. We had to be. A lot of people don’t know that chapter of my life.”
After releasing two early albums, Sister Sledge’s fortunes changed dramatically when they began working with Chic founders Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. Kathy says: “They wanted to prove themselves as producers, so they chose a group that wasn’t yet established. They wanted the opportunity to create something special.”
The result was We Are Family, an album that produced four hit singles and became one of the defining records of its era. The title track would later be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and preserved in the United States Library of Congress. Kathy, who sang lead vocals on most of the group’s biggest hits, remembers Rodgers and Edwards having a particularly unconventional recording process.
She says: “Nile and Bernard knew exactly what they wanted and asked us to trust them. They didn’t want the songs to sound over-rehearsed. They wanted them to feel spontaneous.
“I’d go into the studio and they would literally feed me the lyrics one line at a time. They would say, ‘everyone can see we’re together…’ and I’d sing it back. Then I’d get the next line. He’s The Greatest Dancer and all of the songs were recorded the same way, line by line.”
The group’s success eventually led to a major tour with The Jacksons, where Kathy formed a friendship with Michael Jackson. She says: “I loved his pure heart. I remember I was moving into my own place when I was 17. We’d stop at truck stops during the tour and I’d be buying dishes and lampshades.
“Michael thought it was hilarious. Then he became serious and asked why I wanted my own apartment. He genuinely wanted to understand what it felt like to want that independence because he had never experienced it himself.”
In 1985, Sister Sledge had their first UK number one with Frankie. A few years later, Kathy was offered a solo recording project, a move that ultimately led to her sisters removing her from the group and years of litigation surrounding her ability to reference her history with Sister Sledge in connection with her solo performances. Looking back, she views those experiences differently today.
She says: “Did it strengthen me? Absolutely. What I learned is to keep my eye on the prize. Where you put your energy is where your life goes. Being able to perform on an iconic stage like Koko shows me that everything worked out exactly the way it was supposed to.”
Today, Kathy and Kim share rights associated with the Sister Sledge brand, while Debbie performs a wonderful tribute show with her family under the name Sledgendary. Kathy, meanwhile, remains focused firmly on the future.
She says: “There’s so much more to come,” she says. “I’ve been blessed with some incredible opportunities and exciting conversations about what’s next.”
Following recent performances at Royal Albert Hall and alongside Sting at BBC Radio 2 in the Park, she is also meeting with production companies regarding a film adaptation of her forthcoming autobiography, Memoir of a Little Sister. The loss of her sister Joni in 2017 remains deeply felt, but family is still central to her life.
She says: “Kim is my neighbour and we grab coffee together all the time. We’ll always be sisters. That’s the most important thing. We may not perform together, and that’s okay. Family is bigger than any stage.”
For now, her attention is on London. She says: “I can’t wait to perform at Koko on June 5. It’s going to be a special night. I hope to see everyone there.”
Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge perform at KOKO, London on Friday 5 June. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: mirror.co.uk
