Sister Sledge

History

In 1965, four sisters from Philadelphia—Debbie, Joni, Kim, and Kathy Sledge—came together to form a vocal group originally called the Sledge Sisters. Their grandmother, opera singer Viola Williams, trained their voices, while their mother, Florez “Flo” Sledge, managed the group. They started performing at their family’s church, Williams Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal, and soon moved on to local clubs and political events around Philadelphia.

Over the next few years, they changed their name several times, first to A Group Called Sledge, then the Brand New Generation. In 1971, they debuted as Sisters Sledge with their first single, “Time Will Tell,” released on Money Back Records. The following year, they settled on the name Sister Sledge and signed with Atco Records, a subsidiary of Atlantic Records. In 1973, they put out two singles: “The Weatherman” and “Mama Never Told Me,” the latter reaching number 20 on the UK singles chart.

A year later, “Love Don’t Go Through No Changes On Me” earned moderate chart success. Their debut album, Circle of Love, arrived in 1975, peaking at number 56 on Billboard’s Soul LP’s chart; its single “Pain Reliever” climbed to number 7 on the US National Disco chart. By the mid-1970s, Atco had shifted its focus toward hard rock acts, so Sister Sledge moved to Cotillion Records, another Atlantic subsidiary. Two singles from 1976, “Thank You for Today” and “Cream of the Crop,” failed to make much noise.

Their second album, Together (1977), was a commercial flop and didn’t chart; its lead single, “Blockbuster Boy,” only reached number 61 on the US Hot Soul Singles chart. During this period, Debbie Sledge took maternity leave, and her older sister Carol Sledge filled in for televised performances. To give the group a boost, Atlantic paired them with Chic musicians and producers Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards to record a disco album. That album, We Are Family, came out in January 1979 and shot to number 3 on the US Billboard 200, eventually going platinum in the United States.

It produced the singles “He’s the Greatest Dancer,” “We Are Family,” and “Lost in Music.” The first two both topped the US Hot Soul Singles chart and landed in the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. “We Are Family” earned a gold certification from the RIAA and a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals in 1980. While touring with The Jacksons on the Destiny World Tour in mid-1979, Debbie went on maternity leave again, and Carol once more stepped in.

In 1980, Sister Sledge released Love Somebody Today, also produced by Rodgers and Edwards; its lead single, “Got to Love Somebody,” hit number 7 on the Billboard R&B chart. As disco’s popularity waned, the group moved away from the genre and worked with Narada Michael Walden and Allee Willis on their next album. That album, All American Girls, came out in February 1981; the title track peaked at number 3 on the US Hot Soul Singles chart. Other hits from this era included “My Guy” (1982) and “Thinking of You,” which helped spark a resurgence in the mid-1980s.

A remix of their earlier single “Lost in Music” also climbed to number 4 in the United Kingdom. In 1985, their single “Frankie” spent four consecutive weeks at number 1 on the UK Singles chart and became the fifth best-selling single in the UK that year. In 1989, lead singer Kathy Sledge left the group to pursue a solo career. The remaining three sisters released a compilation album in 1992 called And Now...Sledge...Again, which featured re-recordings of their earlier hits and was poorly received.

Kathy rejoined for a European tour in 1993 after several dance remixes of “We Are Family,” “Lost in Music,” and “Thinking of You” started charting in the UK Top 40. From 2000 to 2003, the four original sisters reunited for special occasions, including events for the We Are Family Foundation. After that, different versions of the group emerged, featuring various family members and friends. Following Joni’s death in 2017 and Kim’s departure in 2019, two separate factions formed: by 2021, Kathy Sledge was performing as Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge, while Debbie Sledge performed as Sister Sledge featuring Sledgendary.

As of 2025, Kathy Sledge holds the rights to the trademark name “Sister Sledge.” Over their career, the group sold more than 20 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling female groups of the 1970s. In 2017, they were inducted into the Philadelphia Music Alliance Walk of Fame. Their signature song, “We Are Family,” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the National Recording Registry.

Artistry

Sister Sledge's music crosses genres of R&B, disco, pop, rock and Philly soul. Their early work was rooted in R&B and soul, and they became one of the most popular acts of the disco era after working with Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards on We Are Family. After disco declined, they shifted toward a pop-infused rock sound beginning with All American Girls (1981). The group's vocal duties were shared: Kathy was the primary lead singer, Joni the second lead, and Debbie and Kim provided harmonies, though each sister sang lead on different songs. On We Are Family, all four members sang lead.

Lawsuits

In 1983, the group and their mother Flo Sledge trademarked the "Sister Sledge" name, giving each sister a quarter interest. After the registration lapsed, Joni Sledge attempted to renew the trademark alone in February 1998; Debbie, Kim, and Kathy opposed the application. In 2006, the four sisters formed Sister Sledge LLC with each receiving a share, and they obtained a federal trademark in 2009. In 2012, Debbie and Joni voted to remove Kathy from using the name, and Kim relinquished her rights.

In 2013, Debbie and Joni sued Kathy for trademark infringement; the settlement allowed Kathy to use the name only as a "factually descriptive term." The trademark lapsed again by 2016 due to Joni's failing health. After Joni died in 2017, Debbie became the owner of Sister Sledge LLC, but Kathy successfully renewed the trademark through federal registration that same year. Debbie filed another lawsuit in 2018, arguing Kathy violated the settlement.

In May 2019, Kim and Kathy reinstated themselves as managers of Sister Sledge LLC and removed Debbie from her sole manager role, resolving that any member could use the name for live performances. In August 2023, Kathy sued Debbie, claiming her group Sister Sledge featuring Sledgendary was false advertisement and created market confusion. Debbie counterclaimed, asserting her right to use the name as a member of Sister Sledge LLC and seeking to invalidate Kathy's 2017 trademark.

Both cases were dismissed by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa. As of 2025, Kathy Sledge holds the rights to the trademark name "Sister Sledge."