Sharon Redd

Infobox musical artist

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Name = Sharon Redd
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Background = solo_singer
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Born = birth date |1945|10|19
Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Died = death date and age|1992|05|01|1945|10|19
Origin = New York City, United States
Instrument =
Genre = Urban Contemporary, House Music,
Occupation = singer
Years_active = 1980-1992
Label = United Artists, Prelude
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Current_members =
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Sharon Redd (October 19 1945 - May 1 1992) was an American house music and urban contemporary singer from New York. She is the older sister of R&B singer Pennye Ford.

Early career

In 1968, she recorded four songs, Half As Much, Do You Want Me, I've Got A Felling and Since I Lost You, all for the United Artists record label.

She was one of the young African-American imports to the 1969 Sydney production of the rock musical "Hair", which premiered June 6,1969.

Music career

Sharon Redd was easily the most successful artist at New York City based dance music label Prelude during the early to mid 1980s. Redd placed several songs on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the early 1980s, the most successful being the "Redd Hott" album which hit number one in 1982. Her fanbase at the time was comprised mainly of both gay men and Urban radio listeners.Fact|date=July 2008 Although the single, "Love Insurance" was credited to another singer, it was no doubt Sharon's uniquely toned contralto vocals that made the song such a massive hit.

While mounting a comeback in the early 1990s, Redd died of AIDS-related complications in 1992. Sharon Redd's albums and all her singles have become considered highly regarded and respected.Fact|date=July 2008 To this day, her music has lived on thanks to the deep grooves and rhythms of producers Francois K and Eric Matthew. Her 'best of' compilation album has been a steady seller worldwide since.Fact|date=July 2008

Early life

Her father, Gene Redd, was an executive producer at King Records and her stepfather performed with the Benny Goodman band. Her brother was a writer and producer for Kool & the Gang and BMP, her sister Pennye Ford, who is also an accomplished singer with two albums to her credit.Fact|date=July 2008

Sharon Redd grew up in Norfolk, Virginia. As a child, she took lessons in classical vocals and also had operatic training.Fact|date=July 2008 In her mid-twenties, Sharon was a budding actress. She also recorded four singles in 1968 for United Artists, three written and all four produced by songwriter and record producer, Bobby Susser. Susser chose the Hank Williams song, "Half As Much" for Sharon's first single. Sharon's extroadinary vocals against Susser's bass pounding musical track, made Sharon's presence very quickly known in the music industry, though it was not a big hit. Sharon got a major break starring in an Australian production of "Hair ".

She also appeared in her own television special and, in 1974, traveled to London performing in an American production of "The Wedding Of Iphigenia".

Shortly thereafter, she moved back to the United States and appeared in a popular marketing campaign, which brought her widespread recognitionFact|date=July 2008

At around this same time, Bette Midler was looking to replace Merle Miller and Gail Kantor, who had left after Bette's 1973 tour, to pursue their own interests. Bette auditioned over 70 performers, but Sharon's talent, experience, and exposure as the 'Shaffer Beer Girl', may have given her the edge she needed. She landed the job and officially became one of Bette's Harlettes. (Photo: From left to right, Redd, Ula Hedwig, and Charlotte Crossley)

Aside from performing as a Harlette, Sharon also provided backing vocals for Carol Douglas ('Burnin' & 'Night Fever'), and Norman Connors ('You Are My Starship'). In 1979, Sharon sang the smash disco hit 'Love Insurance', released under the artist name Front Page (Panorama Records), and, though her vocals were uncredited, producers had started to sit up and take notice of her amazing voice. Soon she had a recording contract with Prelude Records.

Sharon released her first album in 1980 (self-titled 'Sharon Redd'), closely followed by two more ('Redd Hott' - 1982, and 'Love How You Feel' - 1983), which sealed her reputation as a true "disco diva". These recordings featured such disco classics as 'You Got My Love', 'Never Give You Up', 'In the Name of Love', 'Love How You Feel', 'Beat The Street', and the piece de resistance 'Can You Handle It' featuring Redds unparalleled raw vocal delivery woven into the alternating lush orchestration and stripped down funk of one of Disco's most stunning and sublime productions.

After these releases, Sharon returned to her successful career as a background vocalist. Then, in 1991 she released a single entitled 'All The Way To Love'. This was to be her last solo recording.

On January 25, 1992, she performed her song "Can You Handle It" with the group DNA on the ITV Chart Show.

She died less than five months later on May 1, 1992 due to AIDS related complications. There is a possibility she contracted it from a partner who had AIDS or from an infected blood transfusion, but we will probably never now. In these cases, the family or doctor would not tell the media the reasons why she contracted AIDS.

In 1993, Pennye Ford dropped the 'e' from her name and released the album 'Penny Ford', which featured a duet with her sister entitled 'Under Pressure'.

Discography

Albums

*"Sharon Redd" - 1980 - Prelude
*"Redd Hot" - 1982 - Prelude
*"Love How You Feel" - 1983 - Prelude
*"Beat the Street: The Best of Sharon Redd" - 1989 - Unidisc
*"Deep Beats: Essential Dancefloor Artists Vol. 3: Sharon Redd" - 1994 - Deep Beats

ingles

* "Half As Much" (United Artists, 1968)
* "Do You Want Me?" (United Artists, 1968)
* "I've Got A Feeling" (United Artists, 1968)
* "Since I Lost You" (United Artists, 1968)
* "Can You Handle It" (1982)
* "Never Give You Up"
* "You Got My Love"
* "Beat The Street"
* "In The Name Of Love"
* "You're a Winner"
* "Love How You Feel"
* "Love Insurance"
* "Liar On The Wire"
* "Undercover Girl" (Prelude, 1984)
* "Second to None" (Payne Records, 1988)

ee also

*List of number-one dance hits (United States)
*List of artists who reached number one on the US Dance chart

External Links

http://www.soulwalking.co.uk/Sharon%20Redd.html
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Sharon+Redd
http://www.answers.com/topic/sharon-redd