Although music history has a very long list of family bands, there are only a few that have actually exceeded the expectations placed on the genre – which are simply musically strong units, regardless of their formal family relationship.
Three talented young women who also happen to be real sisters. Sister Sledge has clearly joined this club of elite artists. The family’s dedication and strength had a critical influence on the girls’ success and supported the hard work, positive energy and love that went into their musical work. The Sledge sisters began attending Williams Tempe C.M.E. at a young age. Church in her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Grandmother Viola Williams, a former opera singer, had the girls perform at charitable, civic, political and other philanthropic events under the name “Mrs. William’s Grandchildren.”
Since the release of their debut album “We are Family” in 1979, the extraordinary “band sisters” have developed and expanded their diverse talents and matured into versatile artists who have received over 100 awards and accolades for their outstanding work in the entertainment industry. Highlights include awards such as Billboard’s Artist of the Year, Tokyo Music Festival Silver Award and two Grammy nominations in the categories of Best R&B Duo or Group and Record of the Year.
Sister Sledge established themselves as one of the most successful female bands in the world and sparked a series of events that made the band something of a household name. Their hit “We are Family” became a worldwide family anthem and the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team adopted it as their team song. That year, the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles and won the World Series. Eventually, the album shot past RIAA platinum status and topped the pop and R&B charts.
In the 80s the world saw the full bloom of the four college graduates with further hits such as “Lost in Music”, “Love Somebody Today”, “Reach Your Peak” and the internationally gold-selling album “Frankie”.
In the following years they sold millions of albums worldwide, traveled to Asia, Africa, all of Europe, the Middle East, South America, Australia and the USA on their numerous tours and received glowing reviews. “Sister Sledge are the stuff legends are made of,” declared a Chicago Tribune critic.
Sister Sledge captured the hearts of diverse audiences in the ’90s, from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Tokyo’s Sun Plaza… from the Apollo Theater in Harlem to hosting their own television show in Italy. The latest album “And Now Sister Sledge Again” includes the singles “World Rise and Shine” and “Walking in the Light”, which became top five hits in Italy.
The magnificent mix of great voices, the further development of the multi-talented artists, the commitment to musical perfection and the ability to enchant and fascinate a large audience – is Sister Sledge’s recipe for lasting success.
